Exhibition Backdrops & Display Walls

Wider than you think. A group naturally spreads out, photographers step back and shoot at an angle, and the moment the edge of the wall appears in frame the shot looks amateur. The Adjustable Backdrop Stand at 3m W x 2.4m H is a sensible working minimum for two or three people in shot, and you want more width again for a press line or a team photo. Height matters too: a backdrop that stops just above head height leaves the room's ceiling and cabling in every picture.

It is the repeating logo grid used behind interview and photo areas, and the layout is what makes it work. Offset alternate rows rather than aligning them in a strict grid, so a complete logo always appears between and beside heads instead of every logo being blocked by the same shoulder. Size the logos to read in a tight crop of one person, not at full wall scale. Avoid dark, heavily saturated backgrounds, which flatten out under a camera flash and lose the logo entirely.

Exhibition halls are lit for circulation, not for your graphics, and the light is flat and slightly grey. A pair of spotlights on the frame lifts colour and separates your wall from the neighbouring stands, which is usually the difference between a backdrop that reads and one that disappears. The catch is supply: at larger venues such as Manchester Central, power is ordered through the organiser's exhibitor manual in advance, so make the lighting decision when you book the space, not the week before.

Choose adjustable if your backdrop has to serve different rooms, ceiling heights and stand sizes across the year, because a telescopic frame will fill whatever space you are given. Choose a fixed tensioned wall if the wall is always the same size and is regularly photographed, because a fixed frame pulls the graphic flatter and gives a cleaner face on camera. Buying adjustable for a single repeated space costs you image quality you did not need to lose.

A standard cover drapes loosely, which is forgiving on table size and useful for hiding boxes underneath. A fitted cover is tailored with sewn corners and looks far smarter, but it only looks right on the exact table dimensions it was made for, so confirm what the organiser is actually supplying before ordering. A stretched cover pulls taut over the frame for a sharper, more modern look and shows fewer creases after transport. A Table Runner is the low-commitment option when you are given a hired table and just need branding on it.

They are built for indoor use, and the reason is wind. A tensioned fabric wall is effectively a sail on lightweight feet, and even a moderate gust will move a wall that felt rock solid in the hall. If you must use one outside, keep it under cover, weight every foot properly, position it so the face is not square-on to the prevailing wind, and take it down at the first sign of a squall. Soft ground makes matters worse, as feet sink unevenly and the frame twists.

Tension is what removes creases, so a wall that is properly extended and squarely fitted will do most of the work for you. Steam any remaining marks from the reverse of the fabric rather than ironing the printed face. For glare, keep to matte fabric and angle lights across the wall rather than straight at it, which prevents the bright hot spot that appears dead centre in every photograph. Leave a metre or so between people and the backdrop so their shadows fall out of frame.

A media wall order typically includes the frame, the printed graphic, feet and a carry bag, and UK delivery is free. Unpack and check it against the packing list as soon as it arrives, and ideally build the wall once in your own space, because a missing foot or a graphic sized for a different frame is a small problem at the office and a large one at the venue. If anything is short or damaged, contact support@backdropsource.co.uk or +44 1628 904 188 straight away rather than on the morning of the show.