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+# Phase 29: Image Presentation - Context
+
+**Gathered:** 2026-04-12
+**Status:** Ready for planning
+
+
+## Phase Boundary
+
+Replace hard-crop image display (`object-cover`) with fit-within framing across all image surfaces. Images are scaled to fit inside the aspect ratio container with adaptive dominant-color background fill. Users can adjust image framing via a zoom+pan editor available during upload and from item detail pages.
+
+
+
+
+## Implementation Decisions
+
+### Fit Strategy & Fill Treatment
+- **D-01:** Replace `object-cover` with `object-contain` across all image surfaces — images scale to fit inside the frame without cropping.
+- **D-02:** Fill remaining space with the image's **dominant color** extracted server-side. This creates an adaptive background that makes the image feel intentional rather than letterboxed.
+- **D-03:** Dominant color extraction happens **server-side on upload**, stored as a field (e.g., `dominantColor: '#abc123'`) on the item/globalItem record. No client-side computation.
+- **D-04:** Existing images need a **backfill migration** — process all existing images to extract and store their dominant color.
+
+### Aspect Ratio Policy
+- **D-05:** Claude's discretion on whether to keep different ratios (4:3 cards, 16:9 global detail) or unify. Choose what looks best for gear product images.
+
+### Scope of Changes
+- **D-06:** Apply the new presentation to **every surface where images appear**: ItemCard, GlobalItemCard, CandidateCard, CandidateListItem, item detail pages, global item detail pages, comparison table, ImageUpload preview, catalog search overlay. Full consistency — no exceptions.
+
+### User Crop Positioning
+- **D-07:** Implement a **zoom + pan editor** — users can zoom in/out and drag to position the image within the frame.
+- **D-08:** Editor available in **two places**: during image upload (ImageUpload component) and from item detail/edit pages (re-adjustable anytime).
+- **D-09:** Crop settings stored **per-image** (not per-context). One set of zoom/pan coordinates applied everywhere the image appears. Store as fields on the image record (e.g., `cropZoom`, `cropX`, `cropY`).
+- **D-10:** When crop settings exist, they override the default `object-contain` behavior — the image is displayed at the user-specified zoom and position within the frame, with dominant color fill for any remaining space.
+
+### Claude's Discretion
+- Zoom+pan editor component implementation (library vs custom)
+- Dominant color extraction algorithm (Sharp, node-vibrant, or similar)
+- DB schema for crop fields (on items table, globalItems table, or a separate image_settings table)
+- Backfill migration strategy (background job, on-demand, or one-time script)
+- Whether to generate server-side thumbnails for performance or keep CSS-only rendering
+
+
+
+
+## Canonical References
+
+**Downstream agents MUST read these before planning or implementing.**
+
+### Image Display Components (all need updating)
+- `src/client/components/ItemCard.tsx` — `aspect-[4/3]` + `object-cover` (line ~164-170)
+- `src/client/components/GlobalItemCard.tsx` — `aspect-[4/3]` + `object-cover` (line ~31-37)
+- `src/client/components/CandidateCard.tsx` — uses `object-cover` pattern
+- `src/client/components/CandidateListItem.tsx` — uses `object-cover` pattern
+- `src/client/components/ImageUpload.tsx` — `aspect-[4/3]` + `object-cover` (line ~72-79)
+- `src/client/components/ComparisonTable.tsx` — uses `object-cover` pattern
+- `src/client/components/LinkToGlobalItem.tsx` — uses `object-cover` pattern
+- `src/client/components/CatalogSearchOverlay.tsx` — uses `object-cover` pattern
+
+### Image Detail Pages
+- `src/client/routes/items/$itemId.tsx` — `aspect-[4/3]` + `object-cover` (line ~245-250)
+- `src/client/routes/global-items/$globalItemId.tsx` — `aspect-[16/9]` + `object-cover` (line ~65-70)
+- `src/client/routes/threads/$threadId/candidates/$candidateId.tsx` — uses `object-cover`
+
+### Server-Side Image Handling
+- `src/server/routes/images.ts` — Image upload endpoint
+- `src/server/services/storage.service.ts` — S3/MinIO storage service
+
+### Database Schema
+- `src/db/schema.ts` — Items, globalItems tables (need dominantColor + crop fields)
+
+
+
+
+## Existing Code Insights
+
+### Reusable Assets
+- `ImageUpload` component — upload preview with aspect ratio container. Will host the zoom+pan editor.
+- S3/MinIO storage pipeline — images uploaded via `/api/images`, stored in MinIO, served from `/uploads/`.
+- Consistent `aspect-[4/3]` pattern across cards — refactoring can target this pattern systematically.
+
+### Established Patterns
+- All image containers use `aspect-[ratio]` + overflow-hidden + `object-cover` on the `
`. Switching to `object-contain` with background color is a targeted CSS change per component.
+- No existing image processing on upload — adding dominant color extraction introduces a new server-side processing step.
+
+### Integration Points
+- `src/server/routes/images.ts` — Add dominant color extraction after upload
+- `src/db/schema.ts` — Add `dominantColor` field to items and globalItems
+- All card/detail components — Update image rendering to use contain + dominant color bg
+- `ImageUpload` component — Add zoom+pan editor overlay
+
+
+
+
+## Specific Ideas
+
+- The adaptive dominant-color background should make images feel like they belong in the frame, not like they're floating in empty space.
+- The zoom+pan editor should be intuitive — drag to move, pinch/scroll to zoom. Not a complex crop tool.
+- Existing images all need backfill for dominant color — this affects catalog items seeded by MCP agents too.
+
+
+
+
+## Deferred Ideas
+
+None — discussion stayed within phase scope
+
+
+
+---
+
+*Phase: 29-image-presentation*
+*Context gathered: 2026-04-12*
diff --git a/.planning/phases/29-image-presentation/29-DISCUSSION-LOG.md b/.planning/phases/29-image-presentation/29-DISCUSSION-LOG.md
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+# Phase 29: Image Presentation - Discussion Log
+
+> **Audit trail only.** Do not use as input to planning, research, or execution agents.
+> Decisions are captured in CONTEXT.md — this log preserves the alternatives considered.
+
+**Date:** 2026-04-12
+**Phase:** 29-image-presentation
+**Areas discussed:** Fit strategy & fill treatment, Aspect ratio policy, Scope of changes, User crop positioning
+
+---
+
+## Fit Strategy & Fill Treatment
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Blurred background | Scale to fit, fill with blurred zoomed version of same image | |
+| Solid background | Scale to fit, fill with solid color (white/gray) | |
+| Adaptive background | Extract dominant color from image, use as fill | ✓ |
+
+**User's choice:** Adaptive background
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Client-side on load | Canvas pixel sampling when image loads | |
+| Server-side on upload | Extract once on upload, store in DB | ✓ |
+| You decide | Claude picks | |
+
+**User's choice:** Server-side on upload
+
+---
+
+## Aspect Ratio Policy
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Keep different ratios | 4:3 for cards, 16:9 for detail heroes | |
+| Unify to 4:3 | Same everywhere | |
+| Unify to 16:9 | Wider everywhere | |
+| You decide | Claude picks based on gear images | ✓ |
+
+**User's choice:** You decide (Claude's discretion)
+
+---
+
+## Scope of Changes
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Everywhere images appear | All 15+ surfaces — full consistency | ✓ |
+| Cards and detail pages only | Main surfaces, skip comparison/upload | |
+| You decide | Claude picks | |
+
+**User's choice:** Everywhere images appear
+
+---
+
+## User Crop Positioning
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Focal point picker | Click to set focal point, x/y coordinates | |
+| Zoom + pan editor | Zoom in/out and drag to position | ✓ |
+| No user control | Skip for now, add later | |
+
+**User's choice:** Zoom + pan editor
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| On upload preview | Editor during upload only | |
+| On item edit/detail | Editor from item detail page | |
+| Both | Available during upload AND from item detail | ✓ |
+
+**User's choice:** Both
+
+| Option | Description | Selected |
+|--------|-------------|----------|
+| Per-image (one crop for all views) | Same framing everywhere | ✓ |
+| Per-context | Different crop for card vs detail | |
+
+**User's choice:** Per-image
+
+---
+
+## Claude's Discretion
+
+- Aspect ratio policy (unify or keep different)
+- Zoom+pan editor implementation (library vs custom)
+- Dominant color extraction library
+- DB schema design for crop and color fields
+- Backfill migration strategy
+
+## Deferred Ideas
+
+None — discussion stayed within phase scope