Hey JM,

Welcome aboard. Yes, you are right - natural backgrounds are nice when you can get them. However, there are times (often) when they are also a distraction from the subject at hand. For example, the parrot that I photographed was commissioned by a local pet store. The room was filled with nothing that would compliment the photograph.

I love doing more candid, real-world stuff - I just don't do as much as I would like. Having said that, there is absolutely nothing wrong though with using different backgrounds and limiting the focus to the subject. It all boils down to style and what you are looking for in a portrait.

James