Written by Piling Canada
September 2020
“As remote work is expected to remain widespread after the phased reopening of some offices, video calls have become the new normal for business communication. However, business professionals know surprisingly little about the photographic techniques behind looking great on video conferences. Knowing how to optimize your look on camera, using the photographic approaches deployed by top executives, influencers and celebrities, is an increasingly important business skill that is neglected by most business professionals,” said Renata Cesar, founder of The Art of Being Photographed.
Here are five simple steps to transform how you look on video calls:
- Centre yourself: Place yourself in the middle of your viewer’s screen with your shoulders taking up as much of the width of the screen as possible. This makes you look larger and more broad-shouldered, and conveys competence, confidence and assertiveness.
- Consider camera height: Lowering a device gives the emperor effect – appearing to loom over the camera – which creates an air of authority and gravitas. Raising a device gives the baby face effect – a childlike appearance with a larger forehead and big eyes – which can give the appearance of friendly and personable. Choose the height that is best for your appearance and the impression you’d like to make.
- Choose your surroundings: Use a blank backdrop, such as a neutral wall or a bed headboard to ensure the camera lens focuses on you, your expressions and gestures. Find the best light – ideally facing a window or in front of a light therapy lamp that mimics the effects of daylight. Failing that, place a lamp in front of you.
- Check your clothes: Wear solid colours and avoid distracting patterns, logos or slogans to let the camera highlight you. If it’s a really important meeting, wear white or include white in your surroundings to avoid colour failure on your screen, which may turn your appearance orange or blue.
- Make eye contact: Look at the dot of the camera and not the other person’s image on your screen (or your’s). It might help to imagine a bullseye around the dot or stick a paper-hole reinforcer on it. This creates the human connection that only direct eye contact affords and the ability to send and receive the social cues which are lost when there is no direct eye contact.
Category: Industry News