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canyonwalkerVideoconferencing tools have all added or improved virtual background capability in the last few months. Zoom seemed to be the first to have it 2 years ago though at first it only worked for users sitting in front of a green screen. Then they developed an algorithm in software that could separate out a normal background, not just a chroma-keyed background, though at first it was computational complex enough it only worked on machines with high-spec CPUs. Now it's optimized to work on most CPU configurations, and other videoconferencing tools have added similar functionality. I've been using it for a few months on Google Meet, Zoom, and even Webex.
Using virtual backgrounds presents many opportunities to add a dash of entertainment to the otherwise tedious grind of spending hours per day in virtual meetings. A common stock image of a beach with palm trees adds a nice splash of color and relaxation. Stills from famous movies and TV shows, like a blast door in the Death Star or the bridge from the Enterprise, can spark a competition to see who can find the background everyone likes most. BTW it's not hard to find these images; search for "zoom background images" or similar and you'll find plenty.
One little joke my colleagues and I have is to pick the same backgrounds as each other, so it looks like we're sitting together. This stock background I copied a colleague using a few weeks ago blended together nicely:
![Google Meet virtual backgrounds [Jan 2021]](https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/canyonwalker/33413618/709097/709097_original.jpg "With virtual backgrounds it looks like we're sitting at the same desk [Jan 2021]")
It looks like we're sitting on the same deck with the dawn or dusk sky behind us— without wearing our masks or even maintaining 6' distancing! 😨
Using virtual backgrounds presents many opportunities to add a dash of entertainment to the otherwise tedious grind of spending hours per day in virtual meetings. A common stock image of a beach with palm trees adds a nice splash of color and relaxation. Stills from famous movies and TV shows, like a blast door in the Death Star or the bridge from the Enterprise, can spark a competition to see who can find the background everyone likes most. BTW it's not hard to find these images; search for "zoom background images" or similar and you'll find plenty.
One little joke my colleagues and I have is to pick the same backgrounds as each other, so it looks like we're sitting together. This stock background I copied a colleague using a few weeks ago blended together nicely:
It looks like we're sitting on the same deck with the dawn or dusk sky behind us— without wearing our masks or even maintaining 6' distancing! 😨
