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What is wrong with this picture?

April 28, 2021 · by Jan Schultink
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Zoom is introducing some “immersive” backgrounds to group video calls. A nice try, but something does not look completely right in this image:

It is very hard to get 3D photoshops right. If it does not look perfect, I recommend not even giving it a try in your presentation. It is like handing the pen to your 4 year old for one of your 30 slides. Instant loss of professionalism.

Why is it tricky for Zoom? Headshots are taking at different distances from the camera, and the camera position of the room is very high, in an environment with a very strong unnatural 3D distortion.

If I were Zoom, I would keep it simpler, with an artificial rendering of headshots, taking out their distracting backgrounds of bookshelves, kitchens and children’s toys, and paying careful attention to the relative size of the heads, position of the eye line.

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