Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: A Magical DIY Guide

Gerald Finch
5 min readMay 9, 2022

--

Photo by movprint on Pixabay

For the Harry Potter fan in your life, you can’t go wrong with a little Harry Potter-themed photos. The franchise has captured the imaginations of so many, and now you can celebrate the fandom with your friends and family. If you’re a photographer, you might already know that taking photos in front of a back drop is a great way to keep your subjects in frame and give your photos a stylish and professional look. But you might not know exactly what types of back drops you can use to make your photos look like they came straight off the page of a Harry Potter book. Even if you’re not a photographer, you can still take advantage of these Harry Potter photography back drop ideas to create some festive, magical photos of your own.

Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: Basics

A Harry Potter-themed back drop can really make your photos pop and look like they came straight off the page of a Harry Potter book. But what types of backdrops are out there? Here are a few options to consider: — Use a photo collage of Harry Potter scenes. — Hang up a white sheet with paint splatters on it. This is great for when you want to create the illusion that you’re in the Great Hall at Hogwarts while having dinner. — Hang up some giant props, like broomsticks or wands, to create the illusion of being in Hogsmeade. — Find an old birdcage and cover it with vines and flowers to recreate Diagon Alley.

Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: Getting Started

To get started with one of these backdrops, you’ll first need to purchase a large sheet or several sheets of white paper. You can use any type of paper for this, but it needs to be sturdy enough that it won’t tear easily and will look great in your photos. You could also use a fabric for the backdrop, which would give you more variety as well as a little bit more flexibility (a fabric backdrop can always be turned around so you have different pictures from the same spot). Once you have your white paper or fabric selected and cut down to size, you’ll be able to create some magical Harry Potter themed backgrounds in no time. 1) Deathly Hallows To recreate the Deathly Hallows symbol, you’ll need an X-shaped cut out pattern with 3 cutouts on either side. The largest square will be on the side closest to your camera lens. Cut all 4 squares out of paper or fabric and tape them together. This is an easy way to make a simple background photo that looks like it came straight out of the movies. 2) Golden Snitch If you want something that looks like it came straight from Quidditch Field in Hogwarts, then take a large piece of cardstock or another sturdy paper and fold it into a triangle shape. Tape down each corner so the triangle stands up on its own. Then just put your subject in front of one side and voila! You have yourself

Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: Backgrounds

Hogwarts You can recreate the iconic feel of Hogwarts simply by using some black paper as a backdrop. If you have some white paint and fabric, you can use it to create the snow effect. Hold up your fabric in front of the black paper, then spray paint over it with water and let it dry. You can also use these materials to create the night sky if you don’t have a dark enough room. Forbidden Forest If you want a darker Harry Potter backdrop, what better place than the Forbidden Forest? This is one of the more dangerous places in all of Harry Potter and makes for an excellent photo back drop. All you need to do is find a large tree or two that are near each other and put them next to a wall in your house. Simply hang thick rope between the two trees and attach it to the wall on either side so that it looks like vines coming down from the tree onto your wall. This is an easy way to make your photo look like it came straight out of The Prisoner of Azkaban without spending hours making props or even taking a lot of time outside.>>END>>

Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: Props

In order to create the ultimate Harry Potter-themed photo, you’ll need a few props. People often use wands to keep their subjects in frame, but you can also use a variety of other props to make your photos more magical. You might want to consider using Quidditch gear, Hogwarts banners or even some potions. You can find all of these items online or at a costume store. If you have children in your photos, they might enjoy dressing up in robes and pretending they’re going off to school at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: Themes and Locations

• Theme: Hogwarts You can find a Harry Potter backdrop at your local craft store that is specifically designed for those who want to take pictures of their kids in front of the school. You can also use this backdrop to take pictures of your friends and family. This particular backdrop is great because you can customize it with your own stickers, and you’ll end up with a personal touch that will make the photos unforgettable. • Theme: Diagon Alley Another great theme for these back drops are Diagon Alley scenes from the movies. One way to recreate this scene is using a black and white striped tarp or some other type of striped fabric as your background and then adding other props to it like LED lights or brass lanterns. The more props you have, the better. All you need is the right lighting and camera lens, and viola-you’ve got yourself a Diagon Alley scene! • Location: Your house If you don’t want to spend money on buying a special Harry Potter backdrop, but are still looking for an easy DIY option, try placing different items in front of an open window or room in your house that matches one of the locations from the books (which include Ron Weasley’s room, Luna Lovegood’s bedroom, Dumbledore’s office).

Harry Potter Photography Backdrop Ideas: The Final Wrapping

Harry Potter does not have a very elaborate back drop. However, you can use a plain white sheet to get the same effect. Put the sheet up on your wall, and use it as a backdrop for your photo shoot. You can even hang other Harry Potter-themed items from the sheet to make it look more authentic.

Conclusion

This article has given you the insight and inspiration to create a stunning Harry Potter themed photo backdrop for your next photo session. Whether you’re taking photos of an engagement, a family or a couple, you’re sure to find some ideas here to make your next photo session a success!

--

--