11 Best (& Affordable!) White Backdrops for Photography

Those still starting in photography may not fully grasp the importance of a white backdrop. But you’ll need one as you dig deeper into specialized disciplines such as portraiture, product, or product photography. But how do you choose the best white backdrop?

We’ve put together a selection of DIY, tabletop, and wall-mountable options. Whatever your need and budget, we have the solution for you. Our top pick is the Amazon Basics Portable Studio Box. It offers amazing value for money, folds up flat, and has its own built-in lights.

Do You Need a White Backdrop?

When I started doing product photography, I bought a fancy light box I thought would be perfect for my needs. But as I gained more experience, I realized I needed more than one option. There are so many types of objects that have different lighting requirements!

But choosing the correct backdrop doesn’t just concern product photographers. All photographers should figure out the best background for their work. And that’s true whether you’re a professional or an enthusiast.

Here is a summary of our top recommendations.

What Is the Best White Backdrop?

Let’s look at our choices and why we like them in more detail.

If you’re looking for a great product photography light box, we recommend Amazon Basics Portable Studio Box.

It might sound strange to include an Amazon Basics product on this list. But this all-in-one portable studio is one of the best options out there. It’s big, cheap, and it has lights. And it folds into a bag, so it’s easy to transport.

So what makes the Amazon Basics lightbox exceptional? First, it’s 25 x 30 x 25″ big. That means it can fit small to medium-sized items without any issues. Second, it already includes bright LED lights, so you don’t have to buy a separate light source. Third, it has a camera hood at the top that lets you shoot flat lays. And finally, the price is unbeatable.

If you’re on a budget and need a quality white backdrop, you can always go DIY with a white foam core board. You can buy them online or at your local hobby or hardware store. Not only are they cheap, but their clean matte surface allows for great photos.

There are plenty of options if you’re looking for an excellent foam core board. But we like Ucreate because it has a 20 x 30″ size, which is big enough for tight headshots. Apart from the white backdrop, it also comes with six other colors you can use to get creative with your images.

The Neewer 32 x 32″ light tent is an affordable product from a well-respected accessory manufacturer.

Although you can use this white backdrop for regular products, it’s most beneficial when capturing shiny objects. It is an enclosed structure with white walls. You won’t have to worry about highly polished products reflecting everything inside the room you’re shooting in.

The Neewer light tent is made of white fabric similar to the ones used in softboxes. They allow you to shine a light source all around it to create even lighting.

You can close the tent entirely with a velcroed sheet. It has a slit in the middle that allows you to insert your camera lens when photographing shiny objects. And once you’re done taking pictures, you can fold its flexible aluminum frame into a small disc.

The Orangemonkie Foldio 3 is one of the more expensive white backdrops on this list. But in our opinion, it’s quite a bargain because of all its advanced features. Think of it as an all-in-one studio that lets you shoot quality product photos in a small package.

As the name suggests, Foldio 3 is a foldable white backdrop. Once opened, it’s 25 x 25 x 22″ in size. And it is more than enough to shoot small to medium-sized products.

It also features bright LED bars with a dimming controller. It surrounds the box on three sides to ensure even illumination. And if you’re tired of using a white backdrop, you can always replace it with a black option, which is perfect for photographing jewelry.

Who should consider getting the MyStudio Seamless Cyclorama? Anyone into product photography who requires a clean white backdrop for photographing small to medium items. 

You can think of it as a smaller version of the large cyclorama walls in large production studios. In case you didn’t know, a cyclorama is a type of backdrop that doesn’t have seams or edges. As a result, anything you photograph against it appears to be floating.

MyStudio offers the features of a cyclorama on a much smaller scale for taking product photos. It’s made of durable plastic. And it has a matte finish that prevents hot spots from any light source.

The seamless white backdrop produces clean images. MyStudio makes it easy for you to isolate your products in post-production.

The V-Flat World Foldable V-Flat is a new take on an old idea. V-flats are typically used as light modifiers. One side of it is black and the other is white. You use the white one to bounce light toward a subject and the black to subtract light.

The V-Flat World version is a foldable foam core board V-flat. This means that photographers can also use it as a collapsible backdrop. Photographers will primarily use it for headshots and half-body shots because it’s big enough for those uses.

V-flat is different from all other backdrops because it’s highly portable. It’s made of lightweight foam core board and is foldable. So you can carry it anywhere.

If you’re a photographer who does a lot of on-location portraits, consider getting the Fovitech pop-up backdrop. It’s a collapsible backdrop that works like one of those foldable windshield sunshades.

It’s made of muslin with a flexible aluminum frame you twist into a small disc. It’s only 28 inches when folded, but it’s 5 x 6 feet when open.

Fovitech is double-sided, making it perfect for different portrait projects. It has a white side. But it also has a black side, which is ideal for low-key portraits.

It has loops you can use to hang onto a backdrop stand. But you also have the option to rest it against a wall.

We must admit that a regular white backdrop can sometimes be too bland. If you want your background to have some lovely textures, PureFit curtains are for you.

They look like regular curtains but are custom-made for photography. You can use them for traditional portraits or even events and weddings.

Purefit curtains are made of a polyester microfiber that gives them a velvet feel. They’re also non-reflective, so you don’t have to worry about hot spots in the background.

The kit has two 5 x 10-foot curtains, which are large enough for big group photos. They’re also machine washable. So you can throw them in the wash after an event.

If you don’t like the rough texture of muslin, you might want to consider getting a polyester photography backdrop instead. There are plenty of options, but GFCC is one of the most popular due to its quality and durability.

So why choose a GFCC white backdrop over muslin options? Well, it’s lighter than muslin, and it’s also easier to clean and store.

Its size is 8 x 10 ft, which is a bit smaller than the Neewer muslin option that’s next on this list. But it’s more than enough for most photography and even video applications. They also offer kits for chroma keying, which you can remove in post-production.

Neewer is one of the best brands when it comes to affordable photography products. You may know them for their reasonably priced softboxes, flash units, and tripods. But they also offer large sheets of muslin backgrounds. Their 10 x 20-foot white backdrop is one of the biggest muslin options you can buy.

Neewer’s muslin paper has a rod pocket that lets you easily hang it from a background stand. It’s also stitched along the edges to prevent accidental tears. And it’s foldable, so it’s easy to transport and store.

Savage is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to seamless backdrops. Its catalog has hundreds of colors and shades, making it popular among photographers. They even have two options just for white:

• Off-white
• Pure white

Another factor that makes Savage a great option is that it offers a wide variety of sizes for their backgrounds. They have 26″ for headshots and product photographs, 53″ for single-person portraits, and 86″, 107″, and 140″ for group photos.

Common Types of White Photo Backdrops

There are so many options out there when it comes to white backdrops. Here’s a list of some of the most common materials used for backgrounds.

One material isn’t necessarily better than the other. Each one has its advantages and specific uses. Your choice depends on your requirements and how you intend to use the background.

• Muslin—This is your best option if you’re on a budget. It’s so affordable that you can buy an 8 x 10″ sheet for less than $50. It’s made of fabric, so it’s easy to fold and store. Plus, you can easily wash it if it gets dirty.
• Polyester—If a white muslin background is too thick for you, the next best option is polyester. It’s a little thinner, so its texture isn’t as apparent as muslin. But it has all the other advantages of any other fabric background—it’s relatively light and easy to store.

• Seamless Paper—Studios love this type of background because it’s relatively inexpensive. But unlike muslin, it has a smooth surface that’s perfect for close-up shots and flat lays. Most manufacturers offer this paper in 2, 4, and 8-foot options.
• Foam Core Board—Foam core board backgrounds are not as common as seamless and muslin. But they are perfect if you want stiff backdrops that don’t need a backdrop stand. Small foam boards are pretty cheap and are widely available. But larger options can be pricey.

• Acrylic—Since acrylic backdrops can be expensive, they’re typically reserved for tabletop photography. Their smooth surface makes them a favorite among product photographers. Since they’re reflective, they tend to make any product look luxurious.
• Collapsible—There are dozens of options that would fall under the “collapsible” category. Some are made of fabric, while others are foam board or plastic. But no matter the type of material, they’re a great choice if you have a small space or need to travel a lot for projects.

What Is the Best White Backdrop?

There are so many different types of white backgrounds. Make sure you get the one that fits your needs. And you don’t have to stick to one type of white backdrop either! You can get several options, especially if you work with different subjects.

It would be best to buy large backdrops such as seamless paper and muslin for portraits. For still life and product photography, you have a few options depending on what you need to shoot.

Consider getting a portable studio light box if you want an all-in-one solution. But if you’re a professional and want more versatility, seamless paper is still the most versatile choice. That’s because you can shoot anything from small to large objects.

Conclusion: The Best White Backdrop

This list should cover your needs whether you need something small for your Etsy products or a big backdrop for portraits. For overall versatility, setup speed, and value for money, you can’t beat the Amazon Basics Portable Studio Box.

Do you want to learn how to capture attention-grabbing product photos? Check out our Products in Focus e-book!