Chinese New Year Digital Backdrops

What is in this collection

The courtyard and street scenes include a round moon gate in a white garden wall under an arc of red silk lanterns, with kumquat trees tied with red ribbons; red wooden double doors with brass ring knockers, a red lantern and firecracker ornaments; and a heritage shophouse walkway with pastel green shutters, rows of glowing lanterns and potted mandarin trees. The indoor sets include a glossy red lacquer folding screen with gold borders between vases of pink plum blossom, a dark-panelled tea room with a round lattice window onto a blooming peach tree and a rosewood daybed, and a party arch of red, gold and blush balloons around a panel of paper fans.

Chinese New Year photo booth and photography backgrounds

Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, begins on a new moon between 21 January and 20 February, and Lunar New Year is celebrated by many communities across East and Southeast Asia and beyond. The scenes draw on decorations many families put up for the holiday: red for good luck, kumquat and mandarin trees for prosperity, and plum and peach blossom for the coming spring. For a booth at an office or community party, use the balloon arch with paper fans, which has front light and an open floor, or the shophouse arcade for big groups. For family portraits and New Year visits, the moon gate and the red front doors are the most traditional choices, and the tea room and lacquer screen suit quiet seated Chinese New Year photography backgrounds.

Tips for using these scenes

• Let the red reach your subject. Lantern light warms everything near it, so warm your subjects slightly and add a faint red-orange rim on the side nearest the lanterns. The moon gate and the arcade are lit from above; the red front doors have neutral daylight.
• Use the shophouse arcade for big groups. The shophouse arcade takes seven or more, for office parties and extended families. The moon gate, front doors and balloon arch fit four to six. The lacquer screen and tea room are for one to three and both have seats, ideal for grandparents or a couple.
• Add your greeting in the template. No scene has characters or text, so add a couplet, a fu character or Xin Nian Kuai Le or Gong Hei Fat Choy yourself, plus the year's zodiac animal if you like.

Red scenes cast red light, so a subject shot under white light can look cut out; the Photoshop guide covers blending a subject into the scene. Print layouts for a party booth are on photo booth backgrounds.