6 Ways to Look Great On Zoom By Janette Burke, Media Personality, Mentor and Trainer

Most of us want the same things in life.

We want to look great, be safe, happy, and might I add, look great? 

In our new normal of the COVID-19 era, many of us have turned to the webcam and video meetings in place of media, web and podcast interviews, speaking in front of a LIVE audience at industry conferences, and work meetings with our clients, sponsors, investors, and staff. In fact, many of us are spending our days on video chats hosted by Zoom, Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, WebEx, and so forth. 

How many of you are looking into the picture window of yourself and thinking, "Really? I really look that bad?"

Well, it doesn't have to be that way! Here are some of my best tips for how to improve your appearance, and look, feel, sound, and be your best On-Camera:

1.  Appearance

Start with the basics. Comb or brush your hair, shave your face, or apply some makeup and think strategically about your clothing. Wearing a busy plaid, floral, striped or patterned outfit will make the viewers' eyes go numb. A plain, solid color will help bring out the best you. However, steer clear of shirts that are bright white or dark black because they look like a "blob" on camera. Also, avoid wearing green if you are using any type of green screen including the virtual options Zoom provides. Otherwise, you will look like a talking head.

2.  Lighting

Here's where most people fail in web conferences. They have what is called "Shady Face," that is, half of their face is shaded or blocked in some way. Have one steady lamp, directly by your face, for even, steady lighting. No sidelight or backlight. Avoid sitting with your back to the window, as the camera will expose for the light and make you into a silhouette. Instead, flip it, and face the window, which will give you soft, people-pleasing light. 

3.  Background

You want people focusing on your face, not on what's behind you. Many people like to be photographed in front of a bookshelf, but sometimes the "trinkets" on the shelf will cause distractions. Plain and simple blank walls or a wall with nothing but one piece of art hanging is best. I know this seems a bit "boring", but it’s non-distracting. 

4.  Perspective

Here's the biggest no-no. Get rid of "wide-angle face." The cameras on smartphones and webcams are wide-angle. So, if you get too close to it, you will look distorted. In other words, step back from the camera. The closer you are to a wide-angle, the more distorted you appear.

5.  Eye Level

Don't have the webcam looking up at you, because that will turn you into "Look up my nostrils dude." Let's put it this way. The camera under the face is the oldest unflattering look in the books. It's what director James Whale did in the original 1931 "Frankenstein" movie to make the monster look more menacing. Some people recommend having the camera look down at you, but I don’t. Eye to eye contact is the best connection. Look at that camera directly, straight ahead. How do you do that when the webcam is physically below your eye? Stack a bunch of books under your laptop until you see the webcam eye to eye. 

6.  Sound

While I just told you to step away and not be so close, don't be so far away that the microphone won't hear you. Remember to put the kids and other sound distractions in another room during your meeting, if you can. And, this is a huge one: Don't forget to mute the microphone when listening. Otherwise, everybody gets to hear you typing away. For improved audio, try using an accessory mic, which will make you sound much better. You can pick up a microphone that plugs into the USB port of your laptop for $99 and up (Rode NT-USB mic ) or, even better, for $20, get a small lapel mic, the Movo LV1, that connects directly into the microphone jack of your laptop. In Zoom, you can go into general settings and adjust the audio, to pick your accessory mic instead of the mic from the webcam. 

Many people have also discovered that if they're going to be on Zoom and other video conferences all day, they want to look their best. Laptop webcams are ultra low-resolution, and for $100 to $200, you can get way better specs, and more presentable with an external webcam.  

 I hope my top tips and tricks will help you be brilliant on-camera. I’m happy to give you a bit more help…Receive a complimentary On-Camera Assessment with Me where I will critique a 1-minute video of you on camera and give you FREE, NO RISK feedback during or our call to ensure you look, sound, and feel your best. You’ll also receive a copy of my Do’s & Don’t of Being on Camera to help you boost your confidence and charisma! $75 value! To claim, simply email me at [email protected]