Is it better to shoot a product on a green screen or a white background for AI?

TL;DR (Quick Answer)

Always use a white or neutral grey background. Never use a green screen for product photography intended for AI. Green screens cause "color spill," reflecting green light onto glossy surfaces or metallic edges, which confuses AI models and ruins product color accuracy. Nightjar is trained to extract products cleanly from white or simple backgrounds, preserving accurate lighting and shadows without the green tint.

The "Green Spill" Disaster

Green screens work for video because motion blur hides imperfections and advanced chroma keying software is used by VFX artists. In static product photography, green screens are a liability.

If you shoot a silver watch or a glass bottle on green:

• The green light bounces off the product edges.
• The AI sees this green tint as part of the product's actual color.
• The generated result will have weird, sickly green reflections that are nearly impossible to fix without manual retouching.

Why White/Neutral is Superior

AI models, including its style extractor, rely on contrast to understand depth and volume.

• White Background: Provides clear separation. Any "spill" is just white light, which looks like natural rim lighting or highlights.
• Grey Background: Best for white products (to ensure edge visibility).
• Textured Background: Bad. It confuses the AI on where the product ends and the floor begins.

Workflow for Best Results

You do not need a professional studio.

1. Place your product on a white sheet of paper or a whiteboard.
2. Light it evenly.
3. Upload to Nightjar.

The AI instantly separates the product from the white background. Because there is no green spill, features like Hex-Code Color Change work perfectly, allowing you to recolor the product digitally without fighting color contamination.