I try to set up an image as background for a basic blender tutorial, but it isn’t visible.
Here is a screenshot of blender 2.71. Maybe someone sees the mistake.
http://www.anony.ws/image/Dob8
This is the image I try to have as background:
Your screenshot says quite clearly “Right Persp” in the upper left corner. So, you’re actually not in orthographic view. Hit “Numpad 5” to switch between perspective and orthographic views.
Also, your 3D View is in Solid mode; change it to Texture (bottom of the window to the right of your Object Mode drop-down)
And check to make sure you’ve changed Shading > Material mode from Multitexture (the default) to GLSL. In your screen-shot, it’s the second panel up from Background Images. Since you don’t have that panel open, I’m assuming you missed that bit, too.
You do not need to be in Textured display or in GLSL to have Background Image working, they can work in Solid display and in Multitexture too.
But it’s important to be in Ortho view, they can’t work in Perspective view.
If you need perspective view, you can use Empty with the Image setting or use the import Image as Plane addon , both will work in Perspective and in Ortho