We build sets all the time with plywood, power tools, and paint. But this time, we wanted to push ourselves: what if we built three DIY photo sets with no tools at all, using only simple materials from the hardware store?
To make things even harder (and more fun), we gave ourselves just one day. Three sets, three shoots, back-to-back, with no safety net and no time to overthink.
At its core, a photo set is really just a backdrop plus a posing element. With that in mind, here’s what we came up with:
Set #1: The Painter’s Drop Cloth
We started in the paint aisle and grabbed a neutral tan painter’s drop cloth for the backdrop, plus a paint bucket to use as a posing element (kind of like a makeshift apple box).
Since color is a huge part of our work, we didn’t want to leave it plain. We used a spotlight and some colored light to transform the painters tarp into something more visually exciting. We photographed the set with two lighting setups one bold and funky with the colored light. Then we used white light on the other for a more neutral and rugged look. The drop cloth’s texture was such a win. Simple, versatile, and way more effective than we expected.
Set #2: The Cowboy Hay Bale
Next, we wandered over to the landscaping section and found a straw blanket and a hay bale. Put them together to create: a western-style backdrop. We used the straw blanket as the backdrop and the hay bale as our posing element.
This was definitely the most difficult set to put together because the straw blanket was much thinner than we expected, but it came together eventually.
Our model Justin showed up in a denim-on-denim cowboy fit, which couldn’t have been more perfect. We lit it with warm tones to mimic that hot, dusty sun, and mixed in both seated and standing poses. The vibe was straight out of a country music video.
Set #3: The Corrugated Plastic Box
For the last set, we hit the plastics aisle and picked up corrugated plastic sheets. With nothing but tape and a utility knife, we built a giant DIY box.
We blasted light into the box made the plastic walls glow and diffuse everything beautifully. It created a surreal, other-worldly vibe that felt the closest to our usual style—wild, glowing portraits.
Each set had its own challenges, but that’s what made the day so exciting. Some came together quicker than others, but all three gave us something totally different.
You can watch the full behind-the-scenes video on the PPA YouTube channel to see exactly how we built them (plus what each one cost). And we’d love to know, which set is your favorite? Drop it in the comments!
