AIBU to dislike Microsoft Teams blurred backgrounds?

[TulipsTwoLips]

AIBU to dislike Teams backgrounds? I really struggle to process faces in focus but backgrounds blurred 😢. Does anyone else find this? I find it really stressful.

No. Thank God for blurred background

I love that feature so yabu

God no, DD is currently home from school with Covid. I had to pitch for a new client this afternoon, they do not need to see my washing hanging up on the drier behind me.

I find it quite essential to make sure my colleagues can’t all see the shit tip that is my spare room. It does seem to make my hair look strange though.

No, I’m just focusing on the faces so not processing anything that’s fuzzy.

I don't bother with any. All my team use either blurring or the effects (an office view usually).

The blurring alone is shit.

I'm sorry, I really don't follow what the issue is for you @TulipsTwoLips

Blurring the background just means that people can't see and be distracted by anything in the background.

It really doesn't have any impact on faces.

Do you perhaps struggle to disturb guise the face from the background ?

I have sensory processing disorder so I guess it is just me! One colleague didn't have the background on and it was lovely. She was the only one I could look at.

I hate it with colleagues who shift around a lot, so the blurring and focusing has to keep moving around with them and they get this weird halo around them. I mute myself and yell “Sit still!”

Are you new to online meetings? All of them have the blurred background functionality and most workplaces encourage people to use them for privacy reasons.

I love the blur feature on Teams

@FinallyHere

I'm sorry, I really don't follow what the issue is for you *@TulipsTwoLips*

Blurring the background just means that people can't see and be distracted by anything in the background.

It really doesn't have any impact on faces.

Do you perhaps struggle to disturb guise the face from the background ?

See the funny thing is that I find it more distracting. I think my brain is trying to process the in focus face and the fuzzy background and is getting overloaded. Ah well! Next time I think I'll reduce the window so I can't see anyone.

I love it when they have a mountain view, book case background, whatever and their door bell rings, they get up to answer and just disappear into the abyss, freaked me out first time I saw it :)

I don't really like the blurring on Teams either. Distracts me as I keep thinking what are they hiding. The fake backgrounds I dislike even more. But I realise I am lucky to have a dedicated space where I can set up a neutral background etc. Not everyone is.

What I really like is the touch up appearance feature on Zoom! Not all the way or it looks very odd, but just a little bit, smoothes out the skin and even adds a little lip colour!

It is awful. Bad round the edges and 'swims' a lot as they move. Makes me queasy if it's 1:1 like that

@PAFMO

Are you new to online meetings? All of them have the blurred background functionality and most workplaces encourage people to use them for privacy reasons.

No, not new. Just people have been in their offices so haven't usually blurred. I do understand the reasons for it though, I just find it really hard.

How have I got two years into WFH and not known about touching up my appearance on Zoom???

It’s policy for us to use either a blurred background or a standard background (company logo or generic office). For privacy reasons.

@edwinbear at least something good has come from this thread then! 😂

I wouldn't say I like them but unfortunately they're unavoidable. In the background of my Zoom meetings is a bed (that we can't move because we rent and have nowhere to put it even if we dismantled it) and also my partner sitting at his desk working, so I have to blur.

@edwinbear go into settings on Zoom and into Video, there is a slider to use for the touch up. Not too far or you look like your Botox went wrong or you are 10 years old. I have it about a fifth of the way across and I dont even need makeup except a bit of mascara, as it does not add that! (And I am 58 and never seen at work in person without a full face of makeup!). It does give you a rather coral shade of lipstick though, not my usual colour, so I have certain shirts I wear on Zoom and not others!

There were a couple of colleagues who took a photo of the background behind their desk to use as their MS Teams background to give the false impression that they were working from the office.

I thought it was particularly nobby, obvious ever time they moved and I always pointed out in a jokey way to everyone else on the call.

I’m with you OP I find it harder. And worse if something random in the background keeps coming in and out of focus. I keep my background clear because I find it helpful if colleagues know I’m about to be ambushed by children.

@edwinbear

How have I got two years into WFH and not known about touching up my appearance on Zoom???

Have you looked at 'studio effects' in the same page as virtual background and video filters?

On Zoom, my eyebrows are always perfect and my lip colour just lightly better than in real life.

Mind blown.