How to look better in video calling; It does not take much effort to look better in video calling. It does not matter which app we use for video calling, with a few simple tips we can appear in the best way in front of the camera.
How to look better in video calling
Over the last two years, more professional and personal interactions have taken place through video calling apps such as Zoom, Skype and FaceTime, and the widespread use of video calling apps does not seem to be coming to an end any time soon. Just as it is important to look good in meetings and face-to-face meetings and look good, we must also look our best in video calling. In this article, we will prepare you for a successful online session by teaching you lighting, working with a webcam and checking your internet speed. Be with Wironal.
Discover the best lighting
In a professional broadcast studio, it is not the cameras that make people look more beautiful, but it is made possible by the right lighting. It does not matter how much manufacturers spend on expensive lenses; If the light is not good, the result will not be desirable.
The importance of lighting is not only true for large studios, but also at home. You can choose a place in the house that has a good light for video calls. You should always avoid light from above; Because this light creates strange shadows on the face and destroys the overall balance of lighting. Try not to be under the chandelier of the room when making a video call. The following image shows an example of poor lighting:
Rear lighting is also not suitable in this regard; Because on a very light background, you will look dark or even dim. In this case, turning on the headlights will not help much. In the image below, you can see an example of backlighting:
What you need to look for is a place with balanced lighting in front of the face. The most comfortable place with these conditions is the room window. In the image below, the person is facing the window:
One of the best photography tricks to look your best in selfies or professional presentations is to sit in front of the largest and brightest window in your home. By doing this you can be sure that you have achieved the best possible lighting.
Adjust the camera position
Due to the position of the webcam on the laptop, it is usually not possible to achieve the best angle of the face. In order to be at the best possible angle, the webcam must be at eye level or just above the eyes. This is the angle from which others see you; So you should try to meet their subconscious expectations in a video call. In the image below, the camera is slightly above eye level, in which case the face will be completely clear and the jawline will be clearly visible:
To put the webcam in front of your eyes, you can use a few books to raise the height of the laptop. In the case of the phone’s camera, you can also do this and lean the phone against the wall or use a tripod to hold the phone. If you need a mouse and keyboard when playing video games, you should consider a wireless mouse and keyboard.
Look at the camera
Eye contact is very important in online presentation. Unfortunately, in video calling, it is impossible to make real eye contact; If you look the other person’s eyes on the screen, you look down.
Maintaining constant eye contact is difficult; But if you are talking or presenting, you have to create the illusion that you are looking at your audience; So look directly at the webcam as much as possible. This is difficult to do with all the distractions on the screen; But following these tips can help you:
- Shrink or close your display window to avoid using it as a mirror.
- Dim the screen so that you do not look at a particular person. Only do this if you have to see your audience.
Check your internet connection
Video chat requires a relatively fast and stable internet connection. No matter how beautiful you look on your webcam, if your internet connection is not good, a very low quality image will be sent to the audience.
Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, and other video calling apps dynamically adjust the quality of the video you send and receive to communicate. This means that even if you have a slow connection, you will still be able to connect; But your image will not look good.
The minimum zoom system required for clear video calling is given below. Make sure of these before making a call.
For single calls: 1.8 Mbps Upload / Download to send and receive 1080p HD video
For group calls: 2.5Mbps upload / download is required to receive 1080p HD video and 3Mbps upload / download is required to send 1080p HD video.
Visit the Speedtest website to check your internet connection speed. If your connection speed is less than 3 Mbps, you will not be able to send high quality video. Even if your connection is 3.5 or 4 Mbps, the speed will probably be slow enough when you call.
Use your best camera
The webcams of many laptops are of mediocre quality, especially compared to the front camera of newer phones. For example, the 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the iPhone 11 is much better than the 720p FaceTime camera on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. If you use the iPhone as a webcam, the result will definitely be better than the MacBook webcam.
Of course, using a laptop for business calls is an easier option; But you can place your smartphone at eye level and use it as a laptop webcam. This will not only make you look better on the phone, but you can also use the laptop if necessary.
If you really want to look amazing and have a DSLR camera, you can use it as a webcam! This takes some time and not all cameras can do it, But the result will be satisfactory.
In your next video call, check your internet connection and lighting status, place your best camera at eye level and make sure you are looking at it. Share your experience or knowledge in improving video call quality with other Wironal users.
