Photo by Catherina Schürmann on Unsplash
The ideal environment for video conferencing or recording a presentation is quiet, well lit and free from visual clutter. Although you might not have access to the "perfect" room, there are steps you can take to improve your surroundings. This will enhance the experience for other video conferencing participants and increase the quality of your presentation, or lecture if you are recording a video.
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Hopefully you know a quiet space, free from distracting noises, pets or people. Is there a door or window that could be closed? Is the dryer running in the next room? Is your phone on silent? Is There a fan blowing directly at your microphone? Our ears are very good at minimizing environmental noise, but microphones amplify sound differently. Take a moment to listen to your environment.
So your room is quiet now. Great! But what does it look like? By keeping your space tidy, and free from visual clutter, meeting participants or those watching your video will be able to focus more on what you are saying.
- When it comes to video quality, it’s important to remember lighting. If your space is too dark, your video will have distracting image noise as your camera struggles to keep you visible.
- It’s also important to ensure that you have more light hitting your face than hitting the background behind you. Most webcams/cameras will automatically adjust brightness levels to to be in tune with the average light levels in your room. If the light behind you is brighter than the light in front of you, you might appear as a talking shadow. If you have a window behind you, consider having the curtains pulled shut to ensure your background isn’t brighter than your smiling face.
Warning: If light from either a window or other large light source is brighter behind you than in front of you, you risk being covered in shadows.
- To ensure your face is well lit, you may consider using a ring light. The light should be directed towards you, at about the same distance as your camera.
- If you are feeling adventurous, watch the video below to learn how to use natural light. For light purchase recommendations check our hardware recommendations page.
- Ideally your camera should be positioned at the same height as your eyes. This is the most natural, flattering angle. Position yourself in the centre of the frame and leave a little space between the top of your head and the top of the frame.
- Unless presenting with whiteboard, or teaching aids, you should be in the centre of the frame with a little bit of space between your head and the top of the frame.
There are a few options for positioning your camera at eye height:
- If you use a laptop with built-in webcam you can use a laptop riser.
- If you use an external webcam, you could use a cheap tripod, extension arm, or if you have a height-adjustable external monitor, you could clip the webcam to the top
Whenever possible, do not use the built-in microphone on your laptop. Try and position your external microphone no further than 6 inches away from your mouth, and far away from any environmental noises (such as a computer). Watch the video below for a more in-depth look at mic positioning. For gear recommendations, check out our hardware recommendations page.
Let’s talk about you. The whole transition to learning online has left a lot of us feeling a little odd. It can be a startling transition to suddenly be talking to a camera instead of a person. Fortunately there are a few things that you can do to increase your comfort level. Take a moment and watch the video below for some great tips on getting comfortable on camera.