Today I´m going to talk about what are some GOOD video backdrop ideas for YouTube and how to properly use them when creating content.

Although there are different ways you can solve the background issue here are some of the most effective ideas you can apply to have a more professional result and get a higher production value.

So, if you want to improve the overall look of your videos then…

…let´s dive in!

1. The Seamless Paper

One of the first, and simplests, ways you can get a professional look for your videos without much hustle it is by using a seamless paper for your background.

Now, there are a few different things you might want to consider if you think THIS is the way you want to make your content and videos.

For example, the color that you actually choose, the lighting, and the distance you set between you and the camera all have a direct influence on how you are going to look when you finally get to edit your clips.

That being said, here are a couple of tips you should follow in order to get best result possible with a seamless paper background:

• If you are unsure about what color to pick then go with the most popular ones as they can be used for (almost) any type of content and videos, white, gray, and blue. You can choose amongst those three, there are hundreds of different tones for each one of them, just pick one.
• Second, lighting becomes something super important if you use a seamless paper backdrop and here´s why. When you stand in front of the camera with this type of background behind you every shadow, shape, and contrast with lights is going to be seen on camera, so you NEED to be aware of that and use enough light to light yourself and your backdrop in order to get that “perfect” look most YouTube videos have.
• Finally, depending on the camera and lens you use to record yourself you have to be aware of how you are going to frame your shot. In order to focus YOU and let the backdrop be a good way to give a professional look you have to have enough distance between you, the backdrop, and the camera, so choose a room/environment where you have enough space.

Curtain Backdrops

Another great way to customize a bit more your videos is using a curtain backdrop.

Although it´s similar to using a seamlesss paper backdrop it is actually totally different.

You won´t need to be aware of how you place this type of backdrop behind you as wrinkles and placement don´t influence as much, in fact, they are a big part of how the curtain usually looks.

That being said, as well as with paper you don´t want to cast strong shadows behind you so try to be aware of it and set up a back light.

2. The Office

Probably one of the most popular options on YouTube to set a background for your video is the office background.

If your YouTube channel is all about business, a money related niche, or any sort of serious stuff, then THIS is the right background for you.

As you can see, Sean Cannell from Think Media´s Channel uses this type of background quite often as it is a simple way to give a more professional look to a video but still keep it simple.

Now, the only thing that you have to keep in mind is that for a more personal and vlogging type of videos the office background is not the best way to give that personalized vibe to it.

That being said, there are ways you can easily customize it to make it your own and a more personal experience for your viewers.

You should pay attention to a few things if you are going to use your office as a part of your content.

For example, organization and clean-looking shelves and desks is a MUST, a simple decor is better than having too much stuff on the back that might distract your audience, and dressing up for the occasion are all super important things.

If you are talking about business then you should look like one!

3. The Bedroom

Speaking of doing what you can with what you have… let´s use your bedroom to make a cool looking YouTube studio!

There a ton of successful YouTubers that have started this way and have grown their fanbase to hundreds of thousands of followers just by recording themselves on their rooms talking to the camera and YOU can do the exact-same-thing.

You can rearrange your room by cleaning up, changes the way some of the furniture is placed, choosing a wall you can easily decor with a bookshelf or some inspiring quotes, anything that avoids distracions for your viewers (like a messy bedroom background) and actually helps to set the tone of your videos can work.

Now, let me give a few quick steps you can take to make the most out of your room and turn it into YouTube studio:

1. First things first, pick a wall, corner, or specific place where you can start working on, bare in mind that whatever you choose you to have to try it out first by placing your camera facing that exact spot so that you start working in your framing and getting ideas on what could work. For example, if I´d choose a wall from my room it would be one that it´s in front or close to a window so that I can use natural light and I would place my camera so that I can start thinking of ways to decor my background.
2. Now let´s start making your background intentional, add a shelf to your wall, put some books on it, get some decoring lights (Edison lights work awesome), or make it minimalist and keep things simple.
3. Finally, set your camera in the right position and start adjusting the settings so that you can get the best possible image for your videos. Remember that you´ll be able to color correct and/or color grade in post-production so as long as your frame is right and that your white balance is correct you´re good to go!

4. Outdoor Filming

Here´s another way to shoot a good looking video with a cool background!

The only downside of this is that you HAVE TO get creative with it as you´ll rely on a city background for your shot, the park, forest, or any other place you happen to live in.

The good news?

As long as you master your camera settings and choose a good time of day to shoot you´ll be able to film with (almost) any background you could think of.

In fact.

There are many benefits from filming outdoors, being the main one that you´ll have plenty of natural light to work with.

Here are three tips to master outdoor filming:

• The Golden Hour Rule. In case you have never heard of it the golden hour is that time of day when the light temperature is just right in the yellow range, which gives the light that coveted, golden hue. It looks beautiful and lightens the scene perfectly for making a YouTube video. Now, if you are unsure of what time of day you should film and if you actually want to use it then check out the Golden Hour Calculator or simply film in plain daylight, which is around 5600 Kelvin. Check out this graph to find out:

• Blurry Background. You can easily get that nice looking blurry background to make people focus on YOU and what you have to say on your video. One of the easiest ways to do it is by putting enough distance between you and your background, another way is by investing in the proper lens, usually a 50 mm works really well in most environments (plus it´s one of the cheapest options when it comes to camera lenses), and finally you can adjust your camera settings, a lower aperture number, for example, tends to help.
• ND Filters. Finally, if you think your shot is overexposed, meaning that there´s too much light or that you are filming at a location or an hour of the day when the sun is too bright then you can use an ND filter to make it look nicer and darken your shot. Like this:

Now, if you want to take full advantage of this then the one thing I would say to you is that you should also invest in a tripod, as it will allow you to film anywhere and get stable shots without a problem.

5. The Green Screen

If you don´t have a room or place where you can set a backdrop or create a nice looking background for your videos then you might want to think of using a green screen instead.

Here´s why.

Green screens are a convenient way to make your content look like if you are on a studio setting no matter where you actually are.

It gives the advantage of being able to work on your background later on post-production, which is a considerable benefit if you like to play around with your editing software.

In addition to that, green screens allow you to add cool effects, change backgrounds, and use any video or photo you like as a backdrop.

Plus! they are super easy to set up!

You can use paper, fabric, or even a painted wall as long as you don´t use wrinkle cloths or a reflective material as those won´t work.

One thing you should keep in mind is that you have to have an even look, both on your backdrop and your lighting set up.

On the other hand, be aware of shadows, reflections, and your hair color.

First, don´t stand too close to your green screen as it´ll mess up your shot by darkening your green screen if you cast a shadow over it and get rid of reflective jewelry and eyeglasses.

Second, if you have blonde hair or your subject/actor does use a backlight to neutralize the color as yellow is too close in tone to green.

Related Questions

What is a good backdrop size for YouTube? If you were looking for a specific answer then I´m sorry to disappoint you but there isn´t one. The truth is that the size of your backdrop will vary depending on how you place your camera, what camera lens you use, and (sometimes) the lighting set up. That being said, a good size you can aim for is between 80 and 90 inches wide minimum to have enough space to play around with your shots, keep in mind that the wider the better. The length is easier as videos tend to be created by filming the upper half of your body so just make sure that you have enough room above your head and under your waistline.

How to make a backdrop for YouTube videos? There are a number of different things you can try to make your own backdrop, you can (as I´ve said before) simply rearrange your bedroom, get rid off things and give a more organized appearance, choose one wall of your house and paint it, hang some pictures, do whatever you like to design a proper video background. Last but not least, you can use old sheets, some tint to give them a color, wash them and use it that as a backdrop. 😉