We’ve all seen the tired PowerPoint backgrounds that are overused or outdated. They are a dime-a-dozen. But when you present, you don’t want your presentation to look like everyone else’s; you want it to stand out. And that starts with the foundation of creating a great background. Design giant Canva says, “The background you choose can dramatically change your design and make your graphics feel complete.”
But you don’t have to spend a fortune to buy stock or professional photos. With just a smartphone camera and these simple tricks, you can create unique and attractive backgrounds for your presentations. In the examples below, I used my iPhone X, objects around my home, and camera applications.
1. Keep It Simple
One of the major problems we see in presentation media is overly complicated backgrounds. The more textures or colors or patterns in your background, the harder it is to focus on whatever you are to going to put in the foreground. And the harder it is to choose a text color and style that will be easy to read.
Say, for example, you are presenting about green initiatives your company is taking. Your first thoughts might be to take a picture of a garden or the recycle symbol. But both of those would probably be too busy to use for backgrounds. Instead, opt for something with less detail. For example, the picture below is simply a leaf in my home. The veining and color variation offer just enough detail to interest the user. In addition, the visual relates to the topic you are delivering, enhancing the communication.
2. Play With Light and Texture
Light and texture can become two of your best friends on your quest to create your own backgrounds. One of the easiest ways to create attractive backgrounds is to find a solid colored wall or piece of paper and combine it with creative lighting. This simple method creates clean and interesting backgrounds that will attract attention without distracting from your message. Play around with the light, changing the angle of it, removing lamp shades, or filtering it. To create simple filters at home, try things like plastic wrap or tissue paper. Just be careful when using flammable materials near hot light bulbs.
Aside from using light, you can also use texture. Taya Ivanova of Expertphotography.com says, “One of the greatest things about textures is that you can find them almost anywhere. The more details you watch out for, the more creative opportunities you’ll discover . . . even the most boring-looking room is full of patterns and contrast. These could become the stars of your next photo.”
Look for objects around your house or office that have unique but simple textures. Then zoom in. Remember to keep it simple. Too much texture will be distracting. But materials like fabric, wood, metal, and brick can provide some pretty great background photos.
3. Put Filters to Work
Once you’ve taken some simple pictures, apps and programs like Instagram and Canva can help you make them look even better. Check out our blog on using Canva here. Try applying filters to your images to see how the look changes. For example, below is a series of photos that I took simply by shining a lamp on a gray wall and then adding Instagram filters. Notice the simple original, and then how drastically the photo changes with each filter. You can imagine how these variations in color can help change the mood you are creating for your presentation.
You don’t have to spend lots of time or money to create attractive and unique presentation backgrounds. All it takes is a little creativity, a smartphone, and these three tricks.
Want more advice on how to create presentations with stunning visuals and powerful narratives? Get in touch with us now.
