How to Find (or Create) Beautiful Photo Backgrounds Anywhere

Do you ever scroll through Pexels or Instagram and marvel at the stunning locations some photographers have access to?

Like, wouldn’t it be great to take a madly-in-love couple on a hike through the foothills of the Alps or photograph a model on a rocky beach in the Pacific Northwest?

Those locations are the stuff of dreams, and if you find yourself longing for more diverse, unusual landscapes for your portrait photos, you’re not alone.

So what do you do when you’re located in the suburbs with no beach, no mountains, no desert, no rolling hills in sight? You improvise, and here’s how you’ll do it.

Explore your neighborhood

Most serious landlocked photographers have a keen eye for beautiful backdrops in unlikely places. But before they found that killer spot, they had to redefine the word “beautiful.”

A seasoned photographer knows that an abandoned parking lot can be more beautiful than a trail at your local park, and the alley behind your favorite coffee shop can have more to offer than the tailored gardens of your local arboretum.

As you’re going about your day, keep your eyes peeled for places where the light hits just right and for new colors and textures that will pop in the background of a photo. No matter where you live, here are a handful of places to tap into your GPS that might just offer stunning photos where you least expected them.

Local murals

If colors are your jam, then murals should be at the top of your list. Bloggers have written article after article about the best murals in cities across the globe, so after a quick Google search, start your mural hunt with camera in hand.

Parking garages

This one’s for you American photographers. If your city has a downtown, hunt down a parking garage where you can access the top level. The open sky set against tall buildings can make an epic backdrop.

Abandoned parking lots

The potential here is endless. I spent four years driving past an abandoned factory parking lot before I actually grabbed my camera and a model and shot there. The results had me wondering why I waited so long!

Fast food restaurants

Each fast food restaurant has their own signature colors and style, so if you find one that really vibes with you (like this Rally’s did with me), don’t be scared to pull over and shoot there.

Your next favorite location

If you approach your world with new eyes, you’ll be surprised by how many hidden spots there are around you every day. From the hidden staircase behind your grocery store to the food court at your mall—beautiful backdrops are everywhere if only you acknowledge them.

PRO TIP: Have you ever spotted a good photo location while you were walking your dog, on a drive, or out with friends? Before you forget where it is, leave a pin on your Google Maps so you can revisit it later.

Set up a beautiful photo backdrop at home

We’re in the quarantine era now, which means our living space is bleeding into the other facets of our life. If you’re dying to create but don’t have the means to explore your city, here are a couple safe, at-home, gorgeously-creative ways to work with the space you’ve got.

Utilize those windows

Every seasoned photographer knows that a photograph is only as good as its light, so clear away the clutter near your best window and settle in for some epic self portraits.

Backdrops can be anything

Do you have some beautiful curtains? Use them as your backdrop. A large scarf with a particularly cool tiger print? Another great option!

I’ve even been known to paste wallpaper onto a poster board and use that behind my portrait subject for a colorful blur in the background. You could even grab your childhood floral sheets and hang them from your ceiling for a full-length portrait set-up. Your options are endless!

Tell a story with the items around you

Some of my favorite self portraits have included items that were important to me: my favorite mug, a vase of flowers, my Siamese cat Louise, or a shirt my mom gave me for my birthday.

If you’re feeling uninspired with your space, a growth project could be to document your life at home for one day. You’ll stretch yourself by working with dark light and the mundane, being forced to make something beautiful that isn’t.

PRO TIP: Don’t shy away from the everyday, because it can add authenticity to your work.

It all boils down to this: if you’re a photographer with a burning desire to create, you’ll create no matter where you are.

We might not all be the lucky photogs with mountains or beaches, but you’re stronger because of it. Why? Because no matter where you are on Planet Earth, you can spot a beautiful photo in the most unlikely of places: a grimy alley, an abandoned elementary school, or a forgotten parking lot.

Cover photo by Leah Kelley.