background color for pictures

[dutchman48]

I keep reading that backgrounds should be white but I can find nothing in the actual policy other than a neutral color. I and many others use a darker background so the edges of items like notes show clearly. Stamp and card people do similar. Will this no longer be allowed when the July 1 deadline for picture requirements come into effect?

[pierrelebel]

" I and many others use a darker background so the edges of items like notes show clearly."

That is correct and stamp dealers will continue to use black background as it is the universally recognized way to scan stamps to show the perforations all around.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

I am not up on "policy" but, I think you are over thinking. I believe the new policy has to do with words, links, etc in pictures.

There is no "policy" on background. There is best practice. Best practice is a neutral, bland, eyes directed to the widget background. No lines, changing colours, designs, floral prints. Nothing 'clever"

Do pictures with different backgrounds and ask people what they see, where their eyes go. It is the old naked guy reflection in the tea kettle thing.

[cumos55]

With the old SLR camera  (before digital) one should never use a white background.

Against a white background  the camera automatically closes down the aperture  and the photo comes out dark.  The aperture has to be adjusted manually

The same happens with a digital camera... although maybe not as dramatic as with a SLR camera

Only with photo-editing software can there be a correction.

The best thing to use is a light grey background (18 % reflectance paper if I remember correctly)  or as I use, a light blue... I can color correct using points of white in the photo or that light blue background.

All of my photos have been color corrected, with contrast adjusted  always to the same level.  All of my gallery photos are very, very close to being the same intensity and color-wise.

The color of light produced by a light bulb, light intensity,  as well as background color or intensity,  such as with white  can change what the camera "sees"  and how the photo turns out.

Incandescent light is "red", while fluorescent light bulbs used to produce a green color...The new fluorescent bulbs have been color adjusted  close to daylight...

Our eyes see what the camera sees, but our brain makes corrections.

Even though we might use an incandescent light, our brain would see white, because it is "supposed to be" white.... but the camera  is fixed on the red color of incandescent light.

A white background is the worst possible option for a background, mainly because of light reflectance  and how the camera reacts to reflected light.....