By Pat Gibson and Paris Wolfe
Being on camera is daunting … and that includes the ever-more-common video call. Most of us are aware of our appearance on screen, even if it’s just to critique our neck wrinkles. While I can’t erase those wrinkles (at least not completely) I can offer nine tips to improve your visual presentation and ease your online anxiety. That way, you can focus on the content of the conversation and not on your haircut.
If you don’t already have one, get a Zoom or other online meeting account. It will help you connect with your coworkers, friends and or family in a time when a connection is more important than ever. Most meeting platforms have a free, though limited, membership. Then, get ready for calls.
- BE PREPARED. Many of us have happened into that call we didn’t know would include video. By then, it’s too late to change that grey sweatshirt or reorganize those piles on the table behind the desk. It’s better to be prepared. Spend 10 minutes before the meeting doing a test run to see how everything looks.
- WEAR COLOR. It is safest to wear solid colors. Big prints can be too busy and distracting. Small checks or lines can moire patterns or wavy lines. Choose colors that look good on you. If you can wear them, teal, cobalt, purple and coral “pop” on screen. For business, women can wear a top or jacket in these colors while men can choose a shirt in these tones with or without a jacket.
- AVOID WHITE, BLACK AND RED. These colors may cause technical problems. For instance, your camera automatically adjusts exposure for your face. While a small amount of white is OK, a white top will overexpose and you will appear to glow. Black will wash out and lose definition, making you look shapeless. Meanwhile, bright red may “bleed” on camera, giving off a slight, hazy halo.
- BE AWARE OF LIGHTING. Lighting is key to a great professional look. The light should come from behind your screen and fall softly on your face. If you do not have extra lighting, a ring light will click onto a tripod or the top of your computer and enhance your appearance.
- USE THE TOUCH-UP FEATURE. Zoom has a “touch up my appearance” feature. It works like a camera’s soft lens to blur lines and imperfections on your face. In Zoom, click on the video settings, to find the button, “Touch up my appearance.” Voila! Bye-bye, dark circles and fine lines.
- MINIMIZE ACCESSORIES. The noise of jangly earrings and clunking bangles can be distracting. Keep accessories to a minimum and keep them classic.
- POSITION THE CAMERA CAREFULLY. You don’t want your laptop in your lap because the camera will look up your nose. Think about taking a selfie. You want the camera in front of you, slightly above eye level. Position it so your head is in the middle of the screen. You may have to prop your laptop on a box or use an external webcam that you can position accordingly.
- CONSIDER THE BACKGROUND. Avoid distractions such as messy rooms, pets, or your teenage daughter in her pajamas. You might try using a background on Zoom. You can upload a stock photo or a vacation landscape. Just be sure it’s appropriate to the call and doesn’t contain people.
- USE MUTE. Put your microphone on mute unless you are talking. If you are sipping coffee or rustling your papers, it will sound 10 times louder to the others on the call.
Pat Gibson of Strongsville is a Certified Image Consultant and owner of The Artistry of You, LLC. with clients throughout Northeast Ohio. Paris Wolfe used these tips to look professional for four Zoom meetings in the last week.
