How can I make homemade backdrops and get better lighting for very amateur photography?

Can't help you with the animal thing. They are like little kids. You just have to show some patience and keep trying.

You go through a lot of pictures looking for the right one. But kids will be kids and animals will be animals. They are seldom still for long.

Now for backdrops, you can buy bolts of cloth on clearance at any fabric store. Another better place would be muslin backdrops. You can get them on eBay for 50 dollars or less and there is a huge amount of variety.

Check out the ones on the "Amvona" eBay store. Look for Amvona muslin backdrop in the search bar on eBay. I have picked up many for the $30 price range.

For lights, nothing beats a 500 watt light bulb in a cheap shop clamp light. This is how many of us got started. Just don't run them too long as they are very hot.

Turn them on, take a few pictures and turn them back off. They will clamp onto the back of chairs, coat racks, or pretty much anywhere. You can pick up a clamp light for about $8 at any hardware store.

---- ... more.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.