Now Available! Hand Painted Backdrops by Apex Photo Studios

You can now rent hand painted backdrops from Apex Photo Studios. 

Hand painted, canvas backdrops are a wonderful investment for any studio.  They can add character and visual interest to your body of work.  

We are excited to now offer a variety of hand painted backdrops (with more on the way) for rent. Below you will see examples of the backdrops we have recently created with videos and photos of the work that went into creating them. 

Whitley, our in-house Photographer, Studio Coordinator and now backdrop painting extraordinaire, has painted 4 of these backdrops and will continue to create more. 

We asked Whitley about her process and the some ways to utilize backdrops for your shoots at Apex!

Tell us a little bit about the process in creating these backdrops. 

“Well, there was a lot of research and trial and error. Most of the time I think about doing one color and by the end of it I have created something totally different. I guess these pieces are intuitively painted in that I go with the flow and make marks. If I like those marks I make more. Thankfully, the medium is forgiving so I was able to change my mind or correct mistakes easily. 

I also try to think about the backdrops I see folks bring into the studio or that I have seen from shoots recently I have seen in magazines or online. Then I think about ways of recreating those backdrops. 

I am having a lot of fun creating textures and playing with wispy multicolor pieces. To create texture I use a faux sponges and textured roller brushes. I will also use a wash technique to blend and add color to certain areas of the backdrop.”

As a photographer what benefits do backdrops add to a shoot and to Apex Photo Studios?

Backdrops are a quick way to add variety to your shoot or to the space. At Apex Photo Studios we think of our studios as blank canvases. The walls are predominately white and the spaces are minimally decorated. While the studios are great for a multitude of shoots, it is nice to be able to build upon the environment with backdrops to add pops of color and texture. Because our studios are minimalistic it easier for clients to transform the spaces compared to a studio with a theme.

I have seen a lot of clients put a hand painted backdrop next to a large window in Studio D or F for example, and shoot with the natural light and bare concrete floor. When shooting like this, you are still utilizing elements of our studios but adding that color or texture to your shot. Swapping out the backdrops make each shot feel like you're in a different space. 

We had photographer Sandy Kim shooting the Yeah Yeah Yeahs recently. They shot in Studio B with a black backdrop that had a bunch of holes cutout of it. They put a light behind the backdrop and used a smoke machine. It was a really dramatic look and totally transformed the studio. I am excited to make one of those backdrops for Apex!

For a shoot we did with Shohreh Aghdashloo we used several backdrops. It was really nice to have the flexibility and to be able to match the setting with her outfits. 

Are you excited to have people use your backdrops?

Yes! Creating functional art is so rewarding! Seeing one of these backdrops used by our clients is going to feel great. Maybe one of them will make an appearance in a magazine and I can send a cutout to my parents in Texas. I am excited to use them for our in-house productions and enjoy the fruits of my labor.