As I try to pare down my gear set and take advantage of ai tools for photo manipulation that don't feel too inauthentic, I have a new idea - I think I might give up on bringing backgrounds for standard portrait assignments

• Most of my portraits are environmental portraits
• There’s always a wall somewhere
• Generated backgrounds provide excellent consistency
• I find myself processing all images through evoto anyway

Most of my portraits are environmental portraits

Most of my portraits aren't on a flat background but are rather taken in the environment to show context. I prefer this look to a "boring" solid background, but I also understand the need for something very straightforward for some clients and use cases

Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos)
Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos)

There's always a wall somewhere

In most situations, outdoor or indoor, you can find some kind of wall to serve as a solid background to be the reference for your portrait. This was taken just against a "white" wall in an outdoor covered walkway. I had one light since we were moving around locations so I couldn't make the background full white

Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos)

But ta-da, suddenly from that very yellow-cast photo, I could make any of these with the click of a button.

Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos) Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos)
Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos) Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos) Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos) Tarik GlennAugust 12, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Cal Sports Quarterly: Tarik Glenn; Tarik Glenn (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox/KLC ƒotos)

Generated backgrounds provide excellent consistency
 

The benefit of a false background is the ease with which you can match a set of images, even if they weren't taken the same day under the exact same lighting locations. While trying to match lighting is challenging and rewarding, the biggest place where you notice alternate lighting is in the background.

Now of course, this does not apply to media days where I'm committing to bringing in a whole set up, under their feet background, and part of the experience is the set up. It really works best for quick yet versatile headshots.

I find myself processing all images through evoto anyway

If I'm delivering to a client for end use (and not expecting them to have a creative team that manages the final product) I'm likely processing it through evoto anyway (have you seen nostril cleanup?!) so adding a background swap doesn't add any additional credits or workload

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I know there is justifiable push-back against all forms of ai, and that's entirely understandable, but this application of it could help me achieve my goal of -biking- to a portrait assignment

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What are you using for backgrounds if you work outside of a studio?