Why We’re Ditching Canvas Backdrops in Our Studio (And You Probably Should Too) - With Alissa Cincotta

Why We’re Ditching Canvas Backdrops in Our Studio (And You Probably Should Too)

By Alissa Cincotta, Salvatore Cincotta Photography

We’ve built our brand on creating high-end, magazine-worthy portraiture. Over the years, our tools have evolved alongside our work, but one change we didn’t expect to make so confidently? Walking away from canvas photography backdrops completely.

At Salvatore Cincotta Photography, we recently made the decision to stop using canvas in our studio and switch 100% to Lunara, the new black-backed matte backdrop material from Intuition Backgrounds.

And let me be clear: this isn’t a sponsored plug. This is us sharing a real shift we made in our workflow—because it works. 

Here are five reasons we decided it was time to move on and why we’re all-in on Lunara for every shoot moving forward.

1. Canvas Backdrops Look Great Online, But They're a Hassle in Real Life

We’ve all been there. You order a beautiful hand-painted canvas backdrop, it arrives, and then the struggle begins. Wrinkles. Heavy folds. Clamps. Steaming. Taping it to the floor. It’s an entire production before the session even begins.

In a high-volume, client-driven photography studio like ours, that kind of prep work eats into the one thing we never have enough of: time.

With Lunara, we roll it out, hang it up, and shoot. No steaming. No wrinkles. No little clippy things on the sides to pull it taught. It lays flat instantly and stays put, saving us 20–30 minutes per session (and a lot of frustration). In terms of setup and simplicity, there’s no contest.

Lunara is wrinkle-free, and hassle-free. It gives us more time to focus on our clients and less time fighting our gear and setup. 

Backdrop Material Photographed: Lunara

2. The Rubber Backing Is the Secret Sauce

One of the most underrated but most important features of Lunara is the grippy rubber backing.

We shoot a variety of sessions: headshots, maternity, seniors, beauty, and boudoir. When clients step onto canvas floors, they shift. They slide. They bunch up. We constantly found ourselves pausing to reset the backdrop.

Lunara locks into place and stays where you put it. The rubber underside grips smooth floors almost like a yoga mat and doesn’t curl, shift, or slide mid-shoot.

That might sound like a small thing—but if you shoot regularly, you know exactly how much it matters. A non-slip photo backdrop = fewer interruptions and cleaner, faster sessions.

Backdrop Material Photographed: Lunara

3. It Photographs Cleaner, Smoother, and with Less Editing

4. It Holds Up to Real Studio Use

Canvas can be fragile. Step on it in heels or bend it wrong and you’re dealing with creases, wear marks, or even permanent stains.

That just doesn’t work in our world. Our studio can get chaotic, and our backdrops need to keep up. Lunara is built for real photographers who need gear that performs under pressure.

We’ve stepped on it, spilled on it, rolled it tight, and hung it up again—and it still looks brand new. Even after intentionally crumbling it up to get a “crinkled” look for a photo shoot one time, the crinkles released after just about an hour being hung up. 

Also, let’s not forget: It wipes clean. It doesn’t stain. It lasts. That durability means we’re getting more value out of every piece.

Image © Alissa Cincotta | Backdrop: Fortuna | Shot on Lunara

5. It Matches the Way We Shoot (Canvas No Longer Does)

At the end of the day, everything we use in the studio has to match the way we shoot. We’ve shifted toward a more fast-paced, modern, and editorial style. We need backdrops that are flexible, clean, easy to use, and studio-proof.

Canvas had its time, and we’ll always appreciate what it brought to the industry. But for how we work now, it was holding us back.

Lunara fits our workflow. It fits our aesthetic. And it fits our clients’ expectations. It’s not just a swap—it’s an upgrade.

Final Thoughts

We are officially retiring our canvas backdrops, and we’re not looking back.

If you’re a studio photographer who wants a backdrop that saves time, photographs beautifully, and holds up under pressure—Lunara is the tool you’ve been waiting for.

Don’t let tradition keep you stuck. There’s a better way.

— Alissa Cincotta, Salvatore Cincotta Photography

TL;DR (But You Should Read the Whole Thing Anyway)

• Canvas is high-maintenance and slows down your workflow.

• Lunara sets up in seconds with no wrinkles, no clamps, and no steaming.

• The rubber back grips your floor, so no more slipping or shifting mid-shoot.

• It photographs beautifully, with clean matte texture and even lighting.

• It’s built tough—wipeable, durable, and made for real studio use.

• We switched completely in our studio—and we’re not going back.