Looking for background images to use for video meetings
May 14, 2020 7:50 PM Subscribe
I need help finding background images to use for video calls that my team has over Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Like many others, I'm working from home for the time being. I have my workspace set up in my basement. My basement is messy and full of junk and it's awkward having it visible on video calls. I can change the background, but the default options are all either silly things (i.e. outer space, tropical beach) or office backgrounds that are way too pristine/fancy to be realistic. Is there somewhere I can find background images to use for video calls where the image actually looks like it would be from a regular person's home office?
Like many others, I'm working from home for the time being. I have my workspace set up in my basement. My basement is messy and full of junk and it's awkward having it visible on video calls. I can change the background, but the default options are all either silly things (i.e. outer space, tropical beach) or office backgrounds that are way too pristine/fancy to be realistic. Is there somewhere I can find background images to use for video calls where the image actually looks like it would be from a regular person's home office?
/r/zoombackgrounds is mostly fanciful but there are some offices, mostly famous.
posted by Mitheral at 8:05 PM on May 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Mitheral at 8:05 PM on May 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
Go through Zillow listings and steal some images?
posted by wenestvedt at 8:12 PM on May 14, 2020
posted by wenestvedt at 8:12 PM on May 14, 2020
I assume you are a regular person. Go take a picture of a nicer area of your house and use that as your background. Do you have a wall with a bookcase? That would make for a good background.
posted by Rob Rockets at 9:20 PM on May 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Rob Rockets at 9:20 PM on May 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I am a regular person with a pre-schooler. Most bookcases I have are filled with toys. There isn't an especially professional-looking part of my house that would fit well.
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 10:30 PM on May 14, 2020
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 10:30 PM on May 14, 2020
West Elm and Behr and a few other home-space retailers are making these for free.
posted by Mchelly at 6:01 AM on May 15, 2020
posted by Mchelly at 6:01 AM on May 15, 2020
ZoomerBackgrounds has "home offices" in addition to plenty of other options, too.
posted by bcwinters at 6:05 AM on May 15, 2020
posted by bcwinters at 6:05 AM on May 15, 2020
(I should add, that image looks so so when you just look at the photo, but I have it as a zoom background and it looks good there.)
posted by gudrun at 6:29 AM on May 15, 2020
posted by gudrun at 6:29 AM on May 15, 2020
If you're worried about permissions related to images copied from the Internet, try the results of an Advanced Google Search with the Usage Rights flag set to one of the Free options.
posted by Rash at 9:14 AM on May 15, 2020
posted by Rash at 9:14 AM on May 15, 2020
Own the fact that you are using a picture and take one of your actual office, your city or a local sight.
posted by koahiatamadl at 9:20 AM on May 15, 2020
posted by koahiatamadl at 9:20 AM on May 15, 2020
Yeah, I dug up vacation photos from the 1980s and have been using those.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:35 PM on May 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 12:35 PM on May 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zamboni at 7:54 PM on May 14, 2020 [3 favorites]