6 DIY ideas for a creative set design
Create a beautiful set without breaking the bank.
In the latest tutorial, Floriane Jacqueneau will share some DIY set design ideas for your creative photoshoots that won’t break the bank and will put a fresh spin on your shots.
Creating set designs for photoshoots can sometimes seem like a daunting task. We will share some tips with on what you can do to spice up your set environment and make your products stand out.
Tips we cover in this post:
- Get yourself some basic colored paper sheets
- Get some photography backdrops
- Create a custom surface using sticky paper prints
- Use wooden boxes to create volume
- Use props to stack your products
- Have fun with what you have around
You will need:
- A pair of shoes or a small accessory
- Colored paper sheets
- Photography backdrops
- Sticky paper prints
- Wooden boxes
- A set for the shoot, with the right lights and cameras
Get yourself some basic colored paper sheets
Get some basic color paper sheets. It is really easy to find them since you can buy different colors pretty much from every book or appliance store. Use them to create a color palette or a nice pattern of your choice that will bring up the best features of your products.
You can even use the back of the paper block because it’s made of an interesting texture. You can, of course, also use a bigger paper that you can cut and use into your smaller set. They’re not really expensive, can be used multiple times in various ways and can help you achieve a ‘wow‘ effect in your photos or videos.
Get some photography backdrops
You can order online some great photography backdrops - backgrounds with printed patterns of various kinds. There are plenty of websites out there who offer them for very affordable prices and make sure they’re delivered to you quickly. Experiment with a watercolor effect e.g. - that can give you a very romantic feel and a different type of vibe to your photos.
Get some photography backdrops
You can order online some great photography backdrops - backgrounds with printed patterns of various kinds. There are plenty of websites out there who offer them for very affordable prices and make sure they’re delivered to you quickly. Experiment with a watercolor effect e.g. - that can give you a very romantic feel and a different type of vibe to your photos.
Use wooden boxes to create volume
Get some wooden boxes and paint them in whichever colors you please. Use them to create some geometric shapes and add some unique perspective to your photo.
The practical thing about them is that you can use these boxes for different sets by simply coloring a box in different shades and tones. Add this to a simple background and you have a creative visual in no time.
Use props to stack your products
Use a simple wooden block to stack up against your products. Put your shoe or accessory on top of it during your photo shoot. That way you can create more depth to the image. Experiment with introducing some hooks and threads in there to create more fluid movement of elements like handles of bags e.g.
Get some magnetic hooks on your set to help create the desired shape for your bags (it will help with the straps). You can use it to pair up with nylon straps to finish up your set and get your products to stick to one side.
Have fun with what you have around
It’s not always necessary to go out and get some new things for your set. Try to look around you and see what you can incorporate on your set.
Think something ordinary that you can find around you in order to enrich your set and get things to look more interesting. This can be anything from boxes lying around, confetti, candy, buttons or any other props you think might be an interesting addition to your set. Just to bring something fun in your shoot.
For example, in the tutorial, we show how to use candy with complementary tones to add to the colors of our shoes and our background. We have a pair of pink shoes and a pink background so candy and other small props with complementing tones help create a harmonious image. As you can see there are many things that you can use to get creative on your photoshoot.
