Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

RetouchMe
10 min readMar 10, 2023

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You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get authentic and gorgeous braces for a photo shoot. All this can be created by yourself. In this report, we will consider in detail the following types of photo props:

1. Details for a children’s photo shoot.

  • baby basket,
  • a balloon to celebrate the birth of a child,
  • crayons of different colors.

2. Handmade wedding accessories photography.

  • boards for writing,
  • photo frames,
  • inscriptions in capital letters.

3. Photograph the personal holiday with our own props.

  • photo zones for all age categories,
  • holiday hats,
  • colored flags.

4. Food photo.

  • we make the background ourselves,
  • marble board
  • wooden tray.

5. Dilute street photography with self-made accessories.

  • picnic theme,
  • flowers from colored paper,
  • clouds,
  • furniture of unusual colors,
  • create special flower crowns.

No matter what type of photo you want to take, photo props are an easy way to add variety and evoke different emotions with your images. This is mainly done to add another dimension or another layer to the photos.

Props can turn even the simplest photos, such as a headshot, into something unusual and personal. It gives photographers the license to create interesting and funny pictures.

Also pay attention to the environments for photography. The right background will complement the shoot and work in tandem with the props. Try putting the teacher in front of the blackboard to convey his academic prowess. Or use a rich red couples background to reflect Valentine’s Day memories.

Props and backgrounds will add plot to the visual narrative of the shots

If you have plans to produce property for an upcoming photo session (it doesn’t matter which one), the following recommendations will come in handy. It is not so easy to create props, you can make sure of it yourself. In addition to being an interesting pastime, this activity promises to help discover your imaginative nature. It will also permit you to save money and avoid expensive purchases. Get pleasure and a sea of ​​positive emotions from implementing your own unique ideas into life.

1. Details for a children’s photo shoot

This may surprise many, but a basket is an excellent prop for a beautiful photo session, especially if you shoot at home yourself. Photos of babies peacefully sleeping in a wicker basket are one of the most popular trends in children’s photography.

It’s easy to make such a photo:

  • Place the basket on the floor (do not forget to choose the appropriate entourage).
  • Lay a beautiful blanket so that the baby is comfortable.
  • Place the model itself in the basket.
  • Shoot from a top-down position using a bird’s-eye view to get a good photo.

Importantly! Check that the basket is strong and roomy enough not to cause discomfort to the infant.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

Such props are equally great for both studio photo sessions and outdoor ones. It is quite comfortable to accomplish it yourself. All you require is a balloon with helium, decorations, 4 bags with sand on each side and rope. You can add any additional decor or flags if you wish.

Extremely simple, but interesting and practical. Chalk is inexpensive, but with its help you can create absolutely any plot and environment. It all relies on your vision and your personal goal. You may create a picture on the sidewalk, on the building or on another surface, and also add other elements and get an original and interesting result. Just prepare in advance, think through all the details. Because creating a picture with chalk is not a quick process.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

2. Handmade accessories and wedding photo poses ideas

This is a very useful and versatile thing that will come in handy for any holiday. You can buy it, or make it utilizing a wooden board, cardboard and paints. Choose the desired length, height and form at your own discretion. You can compose anything on the surface: wishes, names of the couple, date of the event. You can hold a small board in your hands, but for a larger board, you need to take care of a stand. Prepare several options at once, because a flight of fancy can inspire a crazy idea that will give incredible results.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

For a long time, photo frames remained quite a popular accessory for wedding photography. To make such props, you’ll only require a stationery knife or scissors, pigment and cardboard. You can also create a minimalist structure. All you need is a box with a hole and a pair of scissors. If you want to create a frame in a vintage style, illustrate the desired pattern with a pencil, cut it out with a utility scissors or knife. Now all that remains is to smear the concluded fragment, let it dry and start the photo session.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

In this way, you can make out the names of the perpetrators of the act, the joint surname of the young people, or other words such as “Together”, “Forever”, “Only You” etc.

To begin with, specify in what technique the inscription will be, as well as whether they will be adorned with something. Your fantasy can run wild here. You can either buy ready-made letters or slash them out of foam yourself. You can decorate them with anything: fabric, blooms, other set. They can also be of any color. It’s usually white, but you can’t be limited to just that shade.

3. Photograph the personal holiday with your own property

This is a very popular prop that is reasonable for both grown-ups and youths. To create such props, you require templates, cardboard or strong paper, inflexible bars and bonds. Then your imagination takes flight.

Choose from a variety of template options, the ones you like — glasses, mustache, butterfly, monocle, crown, cake or anything else. Print out your choices, cut them out and glue them to the sticks. A few simple manipulations and your properties are ready!

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

In addition to the usual headdresses, the birthday person can wear a diadem or a headdress of a different shape. However you choose, hats are the main attribute of the birthday celebration. They are worn not only by the culprit of the holiday, but also by all the guests. Caps can be decorated if desired. For this, the arsenal of available materials should include: colored paper, any set, bond, shirring and stapler.

To begin with, cut out the pattern of the hat from paper and bond it or connect it with a help of stapler. Next, make decorations as you like. If you want to create a diadem for the birthday person, remove it on paper in exactly the same way, slash it out and bond it, and then ornament it as desired.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

Shaded flags are the perfect addition to your holiday. They will adorn any place, add a color accent and quickly create a festive atmosphere. Make colored flags as quickly and easily as possible. For this, you will need colored pieces, scissors, bonds or staplers. Draw four triangles on the piece and slash them out. Then stick them on tape and attach them with an instrument. Utilize any colored piece. It can be plain, it can be with patterns. The finished product can be decorated with sparkles, ribbons, or inscriptions of wishes to the birthday person.

4. Food photo

When photographing food, always focus on it. Therefore, when creating a complete picture, do not overdo details that would distract the viewer’s eye from the dish. The most significant item to follow when photographing nutrition professionally is that nutrition picture backdrops should be textured and completely matte. Buy a tablecloth or a natural fabric of a light shade with a size of at least 70x70 centimeters. It will give your photos coziness and a homely atmosphere.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

Choose this surface if you want to create fashionable photos of food. To make such props, prepare: board of card, self-adhesive piece with a needed print, fabric and a cutter. Carefully stick the paper on the board. To avoid the formation of unevenness and air bubbles at the joint, use a fabric sponge: gently stick and smooth the surface. A few minutes of time and that’s it. You don’t need a heavy marble, you need a photophone, light and convenient, already prepared for photoshooting.

What lovely breakfasts are served on a wooden tray! This beauty must be saved in a photo and shared with friends and acquaintances. If you want to create a tray of wood by your hands, you’ll have to visit a building materials store and buy five boards of 35 cm length and two boards of 24.5 cm, pigment, scrub paper, tightens or pins.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

First, scrub the wood well, get rid of pointed junctions. Next, paint the material with pigment a few times and let it dry completely. Next, relate all the details to a pile with pins or staples, paint the concluded creation with transparent varnish and enjoy the food photos on your exclusive wooden accessory.

5. Dilute street photography with self-made accessories

A picnic is a win-win option for outdoor photography. It can be of various subjects and plots. Ideal for both children’s photo shoots and wedding or family ones. Only the product set and accessories change. Sweets, soft toys, and tea sets are suitable for children. For wedding photos — buds, wines, candies. Fruits, baguettes, cheeses and various drinks will come in handy during family photo sessions. Experiment as you wish. Whatever you choose will look great. The main thing is to take care of the rug on which all this will be laid out.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

A super simple prop that remains relevant for any photo shoot. Artificial blossoms will come to be a wonderful atmosphere, or a separate composition, the highlight of your photo. Such flowers do not wither, have no smell and are easy to create. All you require is shaded pieces and seductive bonds. Choose any color, shape and size. Slash out the petals of your future blossom and join them together with bond. At the end of the process, add green elements of the stem or leaves and enjoy the excellent result.

Such props look as magical and fabulous as possible. The clouds floating in the sky will turn the photo into a fabulous illustration with your participation. It would seem that it is impossible to make clouds yourself. However, we will hurry to please you — it is definitely within your power.

The main thing is to have in your arsenal: balloons or flashlights, thread, hot glue gun, cotton wool. Attach small pieces of cotton wool to the inflated balloon or flashlight using glue. Tie the finished product to the ceiling with a thread and watch how the cloud you made floats in the air.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

If you have useless furniture that is just taking up space and gathering dust, it’s time for them to shine. A table, chair, bench or sofa can play with new colors, becoming an original and fashionable prop for photo shoots. Why “play with new colors” in the literal sense. If you have some free time, a brush and a can of paint at hand — give new life to old furniture.

You can paint them in bright or neon colors, or you can choose pastel shades or classic white. Everything depends on your imagination. In addition, you can not limit yourself to furniture. Everything will fit here — boxes, an old bicycle, a suitcase or even a cage for animals.

Each girl decorated her head with a wreath of flowers. It is an accessory that is not affected by time and fashion. It always remains relevant and makes the image gentle, dreamy, weightless. It can be woven from wild flowers, or made from artificial ones and decorated with ribbons or other decorations. This decoration will be a great addition to the image for a wedding or romantic photo shoot. Flower crowns also look great in the frame during newborn photography.

Create props for a photo session with our own hands. The best ideas

That’s how easy it is to create props for any photo session with your own hands. A minimal set of tools and unlimited imagination, and you will get an incredible result. We hope that our tips will be useful for you and that you will draw some inspiration for your future projects. Complement compositions with exclusive unique details.

Do not hesitate, try it. Experiment, learn and don’t stop. Let every photo of yours, whether it is a professional or an ordinary selfie, play with new colors. After all, no program will be able to add uniqueness to your photo as beautifully as you can do it with your own hands. The basis is you and what is in the frame. And the details will be taken care of by the photo processing program.

To obtain perfect pictures, employ a high-quality special program RetouchMe. The Makeup editor app is available for both iPhone owners and Android users. With RetouchMe you get more than 100 options for correcting the appearance, background and even interior details. With the help of a professional photo editor, you can easily hide even the smallest flaws, emphasize the advantages and make every photo perfect!

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RetouchMe

A unique mobile application that permits fast and quality photo editing by professional designers in a few minutes.