Choosing a setting is part of choosing a portrait. Here is what one controlled background experiment found, where its conclusions stop, and how to compare settings for your own photo.
Cook and colleagues asked 167 adults to rate trustworthiness and competence in static portraits framed as Zoom calls. They used 36 White faces, with happy and neutral expressions, and six backgrounds: a living room, its blurred version, bookshelves, plants, a blank wall, and a novelty scene.
Plants and bookshelves scored highly on both judgments; the home and novelty settings scored lowest. This was a comparison of particular images, not every possible room or backdrop.
Source: Cook, Thompson, and Ross (2023).
The experiment measured impressions in a video-call context, not profile clicks, matches, or hiring outcomes. Its limited faces and settings restrict generalization. Treat a profile-photo application as a hypothesis to test, not a universal ranking of backgrounds.
Source: Cook, Thompson, and Ross (2023).
Our practical recommendation is to write down where the picture will appear before choosing a location. For a professional directory, consider the setting you would be comfortable showing a client. For a personal profile, think about whether a location adds something you actually want to share.
Then choose two realistic candidates. You might compare an uncluttered wall with a corner of your workspace, or an outdoor portrait with an indoor one. Use places you can access comfortably; there is no need to buy furniture or stage a library for a headshot.
Use the same camera, distance, outfit, and expression for each candidate. Keep the light on your face as similar as you can. If you move from a dark room to direct sunlight, you are comparing lighting as well as backgrounds, so record that difference before interpreting anyone’s preference.
Preview both photos at the actual size and crop you plan to use. Check whether objects intersect the outline of your head, whether a bright patch draws your eye, and whether the setting still makes sense when most of it is cropped away. These are composition checks, not findings from the background experiment.
Inspect the full image for visible addresses, work documents, family photographs, screens, and reflections. Move or cover anything you do not want in a public picture before shooting. If you use blur, inspect the exported file rather than assuming a blur slider has hidden every detail.
Keep an original copy when editing. Compare the hair and shoulder edges with the source image, especially after background removal. A replacement setting should be something you are comfortable presenting as part of your photo.
No universal background winner is established. A wall is a useful starting candidate when you want a simple setup; compare the finished photo in its intended crop.
Use blur when it helps your composition or privacy needs. Check the exported image for readable details and uneven edges, and keep an unedited version for comparison.
Try changing your position or the framing within that space. Remove distracting objects you control, then take a few consistent candidates. A new room is not required to make a useful comparison.
Show the candidates at equal size and name the intended use. Ask which photo they would choose for that purpose and what influenced the choice. Treat the answers as feedback on those photographs.
Save two versions with different settings and compare the whole photograph. An AI rating can be an additional opinion; it cannot isolate the background’s contribution or certify the person’s trustworthiness.
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