kinda quiet around here, eh? Well LwT, I'm still pretty new at 3D, so count me with the new guys. I'm running Lightwave 7.5 on an 800MHz dual processor G4 which includes a 64MB graphics card. I also bought an inexpensive MPDD+ 8MB graphics card to run a second monitor for the menus, Surface Editor, etc.
Your question brings to mind a few different possibilities as to what you are referring to. If you mean do I use a standard background while I'm for example lighting and texturing a character the answer is no. I'll only create or load in a BG object if I need it specifically for shadows, a floor to stand on, or whatever.
I usually work in the Quad viewport setup with my 19-inch monitor set at 1600x1200. One port shows the Camera View, and one the current Light. The other two are usually a Top view, and a Perspective view in order to easily move things around. The Layout window only takes up about 60% of the screen, leaving room enough for other windows.
My computer includes a DVD player, so I feel extremely fortunate to be able to play some of the best movies ever made, then either pause on a frame or take a screen shot which gives me a guide to try and copy the lighting. Those master cinematographers and gaffers give me plenty of inspiration, and appreciation when I realize that some of those seemingly "simple" shots are lit with such subtlety that I have a helluva time trying to duplicate it! And I'm talking about a static, "held" shot, never mind moving the camera!
Greg
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