Answering your questions about business and technology
Question
Our group does a lot of video meetings and I want to improve my setup. I don’t know which things matter. Can you help?
~ Zoe
Answer
Hi Zoe,
I think that I can help you. Start with these things:
-
- Get a dedicated microphone - don’t use the one that is integrated in your camera, phone, etc.
- Put your camera on a stable surface
- It’s okay to use your phone (their cameras have gotten pretty good) but if you hold it then it will shake and that gets hard for people to watch over time
- Consider your lighting
- Natural light is okay if there is enough of it (not too much though)
- If there isn’t enough natural light, you will benefit from lighting up your area - maybe 3-point lighting to make you stand out from your background
- Consider your background
- You don’t want too much irrelevant stuff that will distract people
- How close are you to the camera?
- If you’re too close it can have the same effect as standing in someone’s personal space in person
- If you’re too far away, people probably won’t see you in the smaller window of the Zoom call
- Optimal distance is having from your head to your waist in the frame
- Do you look into the camera when you are talking?
- It takes practice to get comfortable doing it but it usually leads to better connection and authority
If you are able to address all of these things then you’ll be ahead of most people.
Hope that helps
~ Damien
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