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Travel around NC in your next Zoom meeting with these News & Observer photos

By now, our Nth week of staying at home, Zoom meetings, gatherings and virtual happy hours are just a part of daily life.

But perhaps you’re feeling a bit of wanderlust. Hey, we’re with you there.

If so, add one of these North Carolina scenes to your next meeting, all taken by News & Observer photojournalists. From the lush foliage of the North Carolina mountains to the Hatteras Lighthouse on the coast, we’ve got you covered.

Plus, we’ve included one of our favorites — a rainbow over Boylan Bridge after a storm.

Just right click and save these to your desktop.

Here are instructions from Zoom to display an image as your background. (To make sure The News & Observer isn’t in reverse, click off the “mirror setting.”)

View of downtown Raleigh from Boylan Bridge, Raleigh, NC
View of downtown Raleigh from Boylan Bridge, Raleigh, NC Ethan Hyman The News & Observer
Fall foliage, North Carolina
Fall foliage, North Carolina The News & Observer
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, NC
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, NC Chuck Liddy The News & Observer
Clay County, N.C.
Clay County, N.C. Travis Long The News & Observer
Madison County, N.C.
Madison County, N.C. Juli Leonard The News & Observer
Hyde County, N.C.
Hyde County, N.C. Julia Wall The News & Observer
UNC fans celebrate North Carolina’s victory over Michigan State in the 2009 NCAA men’s basketball championship.
UNC fans celebrate North Carolina’s victory over Michigan State in the 2009 NCAA men’s basketball championship. Shawn Rocco The News & Observer
Macon County, N.C.
Macon County, N.C. Travis Long The News & Observer
Sen. John F. Kennedy speaks on stage in Reynolds Coliseum in 1960.
Sen. John F. Kennedy speaks on stage in Reynolds Coliseum in 1960. News & Observer
Short Cake, an 8-year-old pony, runs in the snow in Orange County in 2015.
Short Cake, an 8-year-old pony, runs in the snow in Orange County in 2015. Mark Schultz The News & Observer
The solar eclipse nears totality as seen from Cherokee, N.C. in 2017.
The solar eclipse nears totality as seen from Cherokee, N.C. in 2017. Travis Long The News & Observer
Jackson, N.C.
Jackson, N.C. Travis Long The News & Observer
Carter-Finley Stadium is seen in this iPhone panorama in February 2019. The cones on the field mark an approximate location for an outdoor hockey rink.
Carter-Finley Stadium is seen in this iPhone panorama in February 2019. The cones on the field mark an approximate location for an outdoor hockey rink. Ethan Hyman The News & Observer
A dolphin races along a commercial fishing boat off the coast of Atlantic Beach, N.C.
A dolphin races along a commercial fishing boat off the coast of Atlantic Beach, N.C. Chuck Liddy The News & Observer
Cameron Crazies welcome Michigan during a 2013 game Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Cameron Crazies welcome Michigan during a 2013 game Cameron Indoor Stadium. Chuck Liddy The News & Observer
Grains of pollen trapped in the strands of a dandelion seed.
Grains of pollen trapped in the strands of a dandelion seed. Scott Sharpe The News & Observer
UNC fans celebrate North Carolina’s national championship win over Gonzaga in April 2017.
UNC fans celebrate North Carolina’s national championship win over Gonzaga in April 2017. Henry Gargan The News & Observer
North Carolina sunset
North Carolina sunset The News & Observer
Members of the N.C. State pep band before a 1975 ACC Tournament game
Members of the N.C. State pep band before a 1975 ACC Tournament game The News & Observer
A pine cone is surrounded by blooming phlox in Cary, N.C.
A pine cone is surrounded by blooming phlox in Cary, N.C. Scott Sharpe The News & Observer
Chowan County, N.C.
Chowan County, N.C. Julia Wall The News & Observer
Strawberry detail
Strawberry detail The News & Observer
A bald eagle before being released at Jordan Lake, N.C.
A bald eagle before being released at Jordan Lake, N.C. Ethan Hyman The News & Observer
Cherokee County, N.C.
Cherokee County, N.C. Travis Long The News & Observer
North Carolina sunflowers
North Carolina sunflowers The News & Observer
Fall colors in Watauga County, N.C.
Fall colors in Watauga County, N.C. Scott Sharpe The News & Observer
Caswell County, N.C.
Caswell County, N.C. Casey Toth The News & Observer
A field of sunflowers in Fair Bluff, N.C.
A field of sunflowers in Fair Bluff, N.C. Shawn Rocco The News & Observer

More free Zoom backgrounds

The N.C. Museum of Art is sharing images of art from the museum collection, from Monet to the contemporary sculptures in Museum Park.

The Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill also is sharing images from its collection.

Both the City of Raleigh and the Dix Conservancy shared some photos of Dix Park on Twitter to download.

This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 11:12 AM.

Jessica Banov
The News & Observer
Jessica Banov is a news editor and audience growth specialist at The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. She was part of the team from The N&O and The Charlotte Observer that was named a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Breaking News for coverage of Hurricane Helene. She also serves as The N&O’s intern program coordinator. 
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