Whether you have a built-in laptop webcam or a webcam connected to your computer, you can adjust your set-up to make your professional appearance shine while adding credibility to your teaching.
Take a test call before recording or joining a live event to determine how you look within the frame, taking into account the following factors.
1. Position the camera correctly
Using a webcam at the same height as your eyes while you speak provides the most flattering angle. Audiences don't want to look up your nostrils! You might want to consider using a laptop raiser or placing the laptop on a stack of books. A small tripod can also be used to mount your external webcam.
2. Ensure adequate lighting
If you want your webcam to record you, you need light falling on your face. While it will attempt to adjust your exposure automatically, you should set up optimal lighting to get the best results. If you don't have enough light on you, or have a brighter light behind you, you may seem blurry or grainy; under-exposed. The result of too much light on you may be shiny or white; over-exposed.
It's best to avoid having a window or light source behind you and add a light source in front of you, such as a desk lamp, or simple video lighting. It looks more appealing if the light is positioned slightly to the side instead of directly behind it.
To avoid your glasses reflecting in the camera, place the light higher and pointed down towards your face.
It is worth the time to adjust the light's positioning for a pleasing look.
3. Dress appropriately
Think about what you might wear when talking to a conference audience or meeting with a patient or business contact. The clothes you wear will show your audience who you are professionally.
4. Avoid background distractions
Focus your audience's attention on you and clearly convey your message by removing any eye-catching or moving objects from your camera's view. A background blur effect can also be used to help obscure objects behind you, but their effectiveness varies between webcams. In the worst cases, the visual artifacts may be even more distracting than the natural background!
Physical backdrops can effectively hide cluttered backgrounds. Their consistent, professional appearance is due to the fact that they don't rely on software effects. It is possible to choose solid-coloured backdrops or those that resemble the furniture in a room. Light can be added to the backdrop to reduce your own shadows.