Video call plays a decisive role in today’s world. In the past year, due to the current pandemic, video calls have multiplied. Just as our appearance is important in face-to-face meetings, it is also important to look good in virtual meetings. Although people’s face is not as influential as their ideas, we should not underestimate its impact. Many people are afraid of being in front of the camera or webcam and are always worried about their looks.
Here we help you to overcome your fear and appear in front of the camera with more confidence.
Choose the right background:
Although the background does not usually matter in friendly and family video calls, it is important in business and formal meetings. We suggest that you think about your environment before making a video call and choose an appropriate location.
You can change the background using some video conferencing features, but a real place is undoubtedly more effective and appropriate. A simple room with a desk and office chair is suitable for most tasks. In general, it is better always to choose a background that looks neat and tidy. A cluttered environment reduces the quality of video calling and can be distracting.
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Backlight and brightness in video calls
Choosing the right backlight is another critical point that you should pay attention to if you want to have a high-quality video calling appearance. Sitting with your back to a sunny window when you make a video call, it is very likely that no one can see your face correctly. Sitting wherever the light source is behind you causes the same problem; you need to choose a place for video calling where the light source is in front of you, and the light is shining on your face.
The light’s angle on the face is also critical: if the light source is below your face, your image may look like close-ups of scary movies!
It is best to have the light source shine directly from the front and illuminate your face. Many bloggers and people who make video calls professionally use a piece of simple round lighting equipment that shines on their faces from the front.
To find the best light, it is good to move your phone with the front camera open to see the best light and background.
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Internet speed
Interrupting video calls due to low internet speed is another common obstacle. Most of the time, the cause of the problem is wireless internet and the transmitted signals’ weakness (of course, this is not the only cause).
If you have an important video call and you are worried about it being disconnected, it is better to connect the modem to your laptop or computer with the LAN cable, instead of using wireless internet; this will make your connection more stable.
However, if it is not feasible and you have to use wireless connection, nothing to fear. You can still ace your video conferencing. But don’t use the internet for doing other tasks like downloading or uploading files or opening multiple browser tabs during the call. You may better ask your other family members not to do this.
Video calling consumes more internet than voice calls, so it is more likely to interrupt. Out of the record, the choppy sound or audio breaking-ups is not so unusual, but choppy videos or freezing faces may be funny.
Test essential equipment before making video calls
If you need special equipment such as headphones or a microphone to make a video call, be sure to try it out before. This is especially important when you want to be on live video streaming and the like. In such cases, it is better to provide backup equipment that if there is a problem, you can replace them and continue the call or video service.
Use headphones
Not using headphones is one of the biggest mistakes people make when making a video call. When you use mobile or laptop speakers to listen to what the other party is saying, they will hear a reflection of their voice, which will be unpleasant. The reason for this sound reflection is that the sound broadcast from your speaker is heard again through your microphone. This can also lead to distractions and crowded meetings. So it is better to use headphones instead.
Find perfect camera angle
The camera angle and your position in front of it are some of the other notable points that make you look your best when making a video call. It’s great to use external webcams to have more control over adjusting the angle. However, if you have to use a fixed mobile phone or laptop camera, you don’t need to worry; still, you can achieve the ideal appearance by changing your position or the phone and laptop place.
The camera should be directly in front of the eyes and line with them, and in addition to the face, it should also show a part of the upper half of the body. When making a video call, you should always look at the camera (not the screen) to maintain eye contact with the other party.
The camera should not be too lower the eyes level; in that case, the face and body will look much more prominent than necessary to have a good appearance. On the other hand, if you place the camera much higher than your eye level, your appearance will still be affected. It is best to have the camera right at eye level.
After all, this will make it easier for you to follow the next point! Stay tuned.
Make eye contact
The ability to maintain good eye contact is essential in establishing a friendly relationship. By holding eye contact, you show that you are confident and ready to communicate effectively. Refusing to look directly can indicate weakness or refers to discomfort, which can lead to your work-personal relationship’s failure.
The same is true about making video calls. As mentioned in the previous section, you need to always look at the camera or webcam to maintain eye contact when you are in a video conference.
Resist the temptation of looking at yourself on the screen. Before making a call, check your appearance on the screen and do whatever you can to improve it. Once the call starts, minimize or remove your own video display from the screen altogether.
Maintain proper posture when making video calls
The body shape is another important point that you should consider to have a better appearance when making a video call. Keep your back straight in front of the camera or webcam and do not let it bend; this way, you will look better and more energetic in video calling. On the other hand, a bent back, will look you unmotivated and lazy.
Try not to move too much; of course, you do not have to act like a dry stick or cane, but too much movement in front of the camera does not look good.
Try to use your hands when speaking; in other words, align your body language with your speech.
Minimize attention spans
When you make a video call, you will get easily distracted if you have not disabled the mobile or laptop apps notification. You may also have some issues with the incoming calls. So, be sure to disable all these before starting a video call.
On the other hand, you can take steps to prevent the other party from being distracted. Choose a simple and appropriate background, do not move too much, and maintain eye contact. These triple-actions are the main steps that you can take to have an efficient and calm video conference.
Choose the right clothes.
To make video calls, you need to dress as you would when interacting with others face-to-face. Particularly, appearance and dressing are important when you make a job interview. In such cases, your arrival in the video call will play a decisive role in the final decision; so just looking better is not enough; instead, you should do your best to be the best of yourself! Here are three tips that help you choose the right clothes:
- Do not limit yourself to the upper half of the body; unexpected things may happen!
- Choose the color of your clothes according to the background. Wearing should not be precisely the same as the background (or too contrasting);
- Do not wear clothes with too much design and pattern; such wearings may distract the other party.
Prepare yourself in advance.
Self-confidence plays a key role in looking better when making a video call. If you have already prepared yourself, you will probably have the necessary self-confidence; so get everything you need when making a video call, and wait in front of the camera or webcam for at least 5 minutes before the call starts.
If the video conference is taking too long, prepare some water, tea, or coffee to drink without getting up in front of the camera.
The final word
By implementing the above tips precisely, you can look better during video calls and communicate with the other party with enough self-confidence. Keep in mind that achieving the ideal posture and appearance in video calling, like any other things, requires practice and experience. So, if you made a mistake at the beginning or something unexpected happened, do not worry and try harder for better results.
SOJECT works in the field of video conferencing software. Ask us for advice, design, production, and support of your custom software.
