The Background . . .

[Superfluous]

When posting jacket photos here, some people post with the same background every time (or most of the time). Nothing wrong with that. Others post with different backgrounds every time. Some people clearly pay attention to the backgrounds of their photos; others clearly do not. Do you pay attention to the background of your photos? How so?

When viewing jacket photos posted here, do you look at the background? I admit that I do. I am curious. The background provides a small window into the lives of the TFL members sharing their jackets. Do you look? Why? What do you see?

 

[Superfluous]

Separate but related:

Years ago in a car forum that I previously patronized, someone started a thread where people posted photos of their local community/neighborhood. Some people lived in rural areas and posted photos of landscapes and country living. Others lived in urban areas and posted photos of city living. Either way, the photos provided a window into the lives of the forum members that was very cool. Is there any interest in such a thread here?

 

[Marc mndt]

Obviously I'm the one who posts pics with the same boring background every single time. Why? Because I try to show my jackets with the same lightning conditions and without any background noise, keeping the focus on the jackets.

Which isn't always that easy using an iPhone's camera.

If I take pics too late in the day they'll turn out too dark and details get lost :

In full daylight isn't great either :

Same jacket better lightning :

Snow actually works quite well because it reflects the light onto the jacket.

Perfect lightning conditions :

Anyway, my girlfriend thinks my pics are rather boring because it's the same pose time and time again. I asked her how she would do it differently but she didn't come up with any ideas yet.

 

[jeo]

I don't spend a lot of time thinking about backgrounds. Not only that but I've said for years that I need to get a good camera too so I can take nice pics and never do. And I try not to post pics of myself with other people in the photo for privacy purposes.

Most of the times it's me propping up my phone up against a wall inside my house. When I ask my gf, brother, friends etc... to take pics of me in my jackets, it's usually met with a chuckle and ensuing ball busting. It's all in good humor.

 

[jonesy86]

I mostly just hang out at the beach and take silly selfies.

 

[JMax]

It’s all good and interesting but honestly, I prefer a bunch of pictures of the actual jacket.

 

[handymike]

I have to sneak them in, so you get what you get.

 

[ton312]

You have all been in my living room, bathroom off the kitchen, home office, kitchen, front and back yard.
I have been using portrait more de o. My phone of late to minimize the background noise.

 

[Carlos840]

Obviously I'm the one who posts pics with the same boring background every single time. Why? Because I try to show my jackets with the same lightning conditions and without any background noise, keeping the focus on the jackets.

Which isn't always that easy using an iPhone's camera.

If I take pics too late in the day they'll turn out too dark and details get lost :

View attachment 409586

In full daylight isn't great either :

View attachment 409587
View attachment 409591

View attachment 409588

Same jacket better lightning :

View attachment 409589

Snow actually works quite well because it reflects the light onto the jacket.

View attachment 409590

Perfect lightning conditions :

View attachment 409592

Anyway, my girlfriend thinks my pics are rather boring because it's the same pose time and time again. I asked her how she would do it differently but she didn't come up with any ideas yet.

I like the whole "same pose on every pics", it makes the pics about the jaeckts, not about you.
I like to be able to to see everything i want to see in the jacket in three pics.
Your pics are great, i wish i had a nice grey wall in my backyard.

When i lived in London i did pics in my living room in front of my door, it was the best i could do ina 60sq/m flat.
Now i live in a house that is too dark for indoor pics, and outside is all green and nature, which i find distrating as a background for leather jacket pictures. I still need to find a good spot for pics.

 

[Superfluous]

It’s all good and interesting but honestly, I prefer a bunch of pictures of the actual jacket.

That is not entirely true. You often post photos of your jackets draped over your motorcycle (as opposed to on the floor). Therefore, you are giving some consideration to the background and adding some flavor to your jacket photos. Honestly, your best photos are when you are actually wearing the jacket. More of those please.

You have all been in my living room, bathroom off the kitchen, home office, kitchen, front and back yard.

And I love that about your photos.

No one has yet addressed the second question: do you look at the backgrounds of other photos? I do. I have seen all kinds of interesting things in the backgrounds. Several years ago, my wife looked over my shoulder as I was viewing a jacket photo and exclaimed: "that guy needs to clean the dishes in his sink." Sure enough, the sink in the background was overflowing with dishes. Some people have cool guitars in the background. Others have interesting audio/visual set-ups. Others have interesting collectables. I cannot be the only curious one who looks BOTH at the jacket and at the background.

 

[Harris HTM]

I used to shoot my fit photos at my living room alone, just let the cell phone on the table at selfie mode with a timer.
Lately I'm asking my girlfriend for outdoor photo's, I guess I'm trying to promote my little beautiful town as well!

Alles over je bezoek aan Delft

Ontdek tijdens je bezoek aan Delft het verhaal van Willem van Oranje, ontmoet Johannes Vermeer en bewonder het wereldberoemde Delfts Blauw.

www.delft.com

 

[Superfluous]

^ great photo. My parents briefly lived in Delft during the early 60s

 

[Harris HTM]

^ great photo. My parents briefly lived in Delft during the early 60s

Seriously? Well, the past hundreds of years almost nothing has changed in the historical center!
I recently watched the 1979 version of Nosferatu, shot here in Delft. It was like it was shot yesterday.

 

[Worf]

Even though married, she's never around when I need a jacket picture taken. I usually wind up getting some friend or person that owes me money to take them. Preferably someone who's handy with a camera or at least better'n me! I just got my first "smart phone" a little while ago... Selfie king I am not. So I basically give backgrounds little or no thought... Whatever's back there is back there.

Worf

 

[jeo]

No one has yet addressed the second question: do you look at the backgrounds of other photos?

If there's a really nice scenic background or if there is something really interesting in the background then of course I look and that's great, but it's all about the jackets for me. The background could bring up secondary discussions which is only a good thing imo.

 

[Monitor]

I'm extremely ashamed of anyone seeing me taking a photo of myself due to the deeply rooted belief of mine that my appearance is the most repulsive visage that can be bestowed upon a living eye, thus I am forced, so to say, to take selfies in my apartment, which is small and is for all intents and purposes background-less.

Having said that, I do note the backgrounds and honestly, I vastly prefer seeing photos of someones entire ensemble, rather than just the jacket on its own. Jackets alone have started to mean less and less to me though the way a certain piece is being worn is still as fun as it had always been.

 

[GHT]

When posting jacket photos here, some people post with the same background every time (or most of the time). Nothing wrong with that. Others post with different backgrounds every time. Some people clearly pay attention to the backgrounds of their photos; others clearly do not. Do you pay attention to the background of your photos? How so?

Hermeneutics is the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation. The background in photos is an integral component to ascertain the depth of field. For the photograph to have a 3D life-like effect, the positioning of the elements of the background in a photo that are visible in the frame is important.

The Bokeh effect: In photography, bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image. In order to clearly distinguish between the subject and the background, keep in mind that the colour of the background does not match the colour of the product or the jacket that the person is wearing. If that happens, lines could get blurred, and you will not get a clear contrast.

None of that matters one jot of course, when you just want to show others your latest acquisition but if you want to grab attention when selling a jacket, or anything else for that matter, it helps to know a little about the importance of background.

 

[ton312]

My daughter uses an app to remove backgrounds (I think the iPhone can do this natively as well). It does make the photos a bit less interesting.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

That is not entirely true. You often post photos of your jackets draped over your motorcycle (as opposed to on the floor). Therefore, you are giving some consideration to the background and adding some flavor to your jacket photos. Honestly, your best photos are when you are actually wearing the jacket. More of those please.



And I love that about your photos.

No one has yet addressed the second question: do you look at the backgrounds of other photos? I do. I have seen all kinds of interesting things in the backgrounds. Several years ago, my wife looked over my shoulder as I was viewing a jacket photo and exclaimed: "that guy needs to clean the dishes in his sink." Sure enough, the sink in the background was overflowing with dishes. Some people have cool guitars in the background. Others have interesting audio/visual set-ups. Others have interesting collectables. I cannot be the only curious one who looks BOTH at the jacket and at the background.

To address your second question, Super.
Heck yes i check out the backgrounds. Sometimes that’s the best part.
I like to practice Psych 101 seeing the random items sitting around with little regard to interpretation as well as the more handsomely posed backgrounds that obviously are to showcase some aspect of ones life.
To that, that’s why i probably don’t post hats and jackets much any more. One only has to look at most of my pics and it’s obvious this retired old guy cave man lives amongst a hoard o hats with jackets hanging everywhere a hat won’t sit.
But...i get joy seeing all the bobbles and bells of my life. The leather and felt smell is pleasing to me. But the cave clutter translates more then i care to share with regularity.
Photobomb is an understatement in my abode.
B

 

[jonesy86]

I have a nice view out my back door too.