Love them or hate them, we’re all spending a lot of time in Zoom, GotoMeeting and Microsoft Teams video conferences these days. With face to face meetings called off, sometimes our only human contact is through webcams with friends and colleagues from around the world. Even though most of us are Zooming from home, we want to make a good impression. Here are our top 3 things to put on your shopping list for successful video meetings.
Backdrop
We’ve all had to improvise when it comes to our offices these days. Working from home might mean perching in a corner of a child’s bedroom, setting up on the kitchen table, or finding a spare corner in the kitchen. Make sure that your backdrop is not embarrassing. Zoom virtual backdrops don’t work for everyone, and they can make you look really pixelated on the screen, so try to find a physical backdrop that looks good on camera. If it’s too hard to hide all the clutter and personal items in your workspace, you might want to consider a folding screen. You can find a plain one and drape different kinds of fabric over it to mix things up. And why not change the fabric with the seasons to keep it fun!
Camera
Most laptops have a built-in camera, but there are major drawbacks to using these for videoconferencing. For one thing, you can’t control the angle very well, so you’ll usually be looking down at the camera, which is very unflattering (double chins are never a good look!). Second, if you have multiple screens that you use for work, the laptop’s webcam won’t be pointed in the right direction. And lastly, the quality is not great. A good webcam is fairly inexpensive and can be clipped at a raised level for more flattering angles.
Look for one that’s high resolution. Built-in microphones and ring lights make it easy to create a professional image. When you are Zooming, make sure to make eye contact with the lens of the webcam frequently, instead of always looking at your screen. This helps increase the feeling of personal connection between you and your colleagues or clients.
Lighting
Lighting can be very hard with web conferences. Depending on where your natural light is coming from, it can put your face into deep shadow, or wash it out with too much light. You can try putting a lamp right next to your face to keep the lighting even. A ring light is an inexpensive way to fix this problem. Whether it’s built into your webcam or freestanding, you can adjust it to create flattering, even light on your face. Your viewers will appreciate the people-pleasing light!
Here at RoomVRAI, we have a wide selection of backdrops, cameras, and lighting to make your video conferences a big success. Check out our selection to find the best ones for your needs. And don’t forget the most important tip- make sure to SMILE!
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