Photography Backdrops

Why models are photographed on a backdrop

On an ordinary table there is always something in the frame that should not be there: the edge of the desk, a cable, a reflection of the window. A backdrop unifies the surface and the model stands out against it. Two approaches are in common use. Either you want a clean neutral background where only the model is visible, or a surface that gives the model context — concrete airfield slabs, the asphalt of a circuit, a wooden deck.

How to choose a backdrop

Neutral, or a scene

A matt black or white sheet is the simplest answer: it kills reflections, it leaves nothing in the frame to think about, and one sheet serves every scale you own. Printed scenic bases work differently, because they have to match the scale of the model. Otherwise the slabs or the paving read as unnaturally large or absurdly small, and the eye catches it instantly.

Size and shape

The backdrop has to be bigger than the model, with margin at the sides so you can shoot at an angle. Formats around 200 x 300 mm (roughly 8 x 12 in) cover figures and small scales; for larger aircraft and armour, plan on sheets over 300 mm. If you shoot from a low angle, a piece of background behind the model keeps the horizon from ending in the middle of the frame.

Light and light boxes

Folding light boxes with LED lighting are a group of their own. They diffuse light from every side so the model carries no hard shadows, and they fold flat afterwards. Shooting outside a box, you still want side light, where an ordinary modelling lamp does the job. Two lights, one each side, even the shadows out better than one strong source.

What goes with model photography

• Display bases if you want to show the model off the photograph as well
• Display cases so it does not gather dust between sessions
• Scenic accessories for building the surroundings around the subject
• Diorama accessories when you want to take the scene further than a backdrop
• Model figures to give a scene scale and a story

The best photographs come out of patience: a stable surface, diffused light, and time spent hunting the angle. The rest of the workspace is in modelling workbench equipment.