With “work from home” being an option for many people, it is time to look for more professional solutions to create a workplace at home, so Manfrotto introduced its backgrounds for video calls.

Virtual meetings are more popular than ever, and the fact is that once the pandemic forced them on many of us, they became part of daily life, and something that will stay with us forever. The industry adapted quickly, and from cameras used for streaming to software that cuts background noise out, like NVIDIA Broadcast, we’ve seen a revolution in terms of solution for video conferencing.

One thing stayed the same, though: the visual distractions and uncontrollable situations going on all around the caller. Suddenly we’re given access to the houses of people all around the world, all sharing their bookshelves (one of the most popular views, apparently, giving us a taste of their reading preferences), rooms or the kitchen sink. The challenge became evident: it is not easy to pick the right background when it comes to the environment the call is made from.

Software that emulates the common green screen and even allows for virtual backgrounds to appear behind the user has also been rapidly introduced, but not everyone is familiar with it and some of the solutions available are not exactly what you want to use, if you want to look professional. Those who have tried know that a digital background or the background blur mode in your conferencing software doesn’t always make it better. Sometimes, nothing beats and old-style solution.

5 different types of backgrounds

The most reliable solution is to use an actual background like those used by photographers and videographers, so Manfrotto decided to launch its collection of backgrounds for virtual conferencing or virtual calls. The Manfrotto Backgrounds for Video Calls are, says the company, “the perfect solution for the busy professional trying to overcome the challenges faced when video conferencing in the office or at home.”

The Manfrotto Backgrounds for Video Conference have been designed to meet the needs of the struggling video conferencing professional calling from a desktop workstation. With one of these backgrounds anyone can make a serious workstation out of any room in their home or office. The backdrop can be assembled in just a few minutes and can then be placed directly behind the users’ chair and completely isolates their webcam view from their environment, allowing other members of the household or office to continue going about their daily business, blocks out unwanted window light and hides any distracting features behind them.

Lightweight and portable, the self-standing VC background is constructed from a simple aluminium frame and crossbar with low profile feet for stability that can easily slide under furniture or other objects. The double-sided background cover offers two different surfaces to choose from. In fact, Manfrotto took things further and you can free your imagination and choose among 5 different types of double-sided backgrounds: with plain colors, a texture or even a photographic representation of a room, you are spoiled for choice.

A bespoke background

For those who want to take the whole idea of a background even further, there is the option to create your own: Manfrotto offers the option to provide a bespoke background solution with a grey surface on one side and a photo or graphic of your choice on the other. You just need to upload the image you want to use, which must be 16083 pixels width by 11594 pixels height, a JPEG (CMYK color space). A color profile – FOGRA 39 – may also be chosen, so the final printed image looks as close as possible to what you see on your computer screen. Still, due to the textile printing process Manfrotto cannot guarantee an exact match to the colors in your original image. A small amount of tolerance should be expected.

Manfrotto provides a complete guide to create the image to your background, with tips on best images to use and how to compose them. In about two or three weeks you’ll have your bespoke Manfrotto Background for Video Conference.