During lockdown Zoom usage exploded. Many daily activities, banned offline, moved onto
Zoom, and not just work and school related. We had Zoom gym classes, Zoom yoga sessions, Zoom concerts, Zoom wine parties the list goes on.
According to medium.com during the period April – June 2020, the most popular days for Zoom meetings were Wednesdays and Thursdays and the most popular times for Zoom meetings were 10am and 7pm.
For the Snapchat and Tik Tok generation, being visible on camera was no big deal. Having been brought up literally attached to the phone on their camera, this generation had already worked out their best side and which angle would be the most flattering. For the vast majority of us however, this wasn’t the case.
In this blog we share the Top 6 ways to look your best on Zoom (or any other online platform), whether you are using it for business or social purposes.
1. Natural Lighting: Natural light is best so make sure you’re facing a window head-on. This gives you a lot of natural light, and will help you look really sharp on camera. If your back is to the window, the sunlight may make you look harsh.
2. What to do if you don’t have natural Light: If your home doesn’t have a lot of natural light, it’s not a problem, simply set up desk lamps behind your laptop or tablet. This will help you stay illuminated on camera. Position the lamps at 10 o clock and 2 o clock, out of shot, angled towards your face. Using smaller lamps works best for this.
3. Setting up your camera. Line up your laptop, tablet, or phone camera so it’s roughly in line with your eyes. If the camera is too low, your image will not be flattering as it will pick up shadows making you look older than you are! Use books or blocks to raise your webcam or laptop up so the camera is at the right level. If your camera is too low, it may look like you have a double-chin to the camera… queue the most searched Zoom question!
4. Choose your background carefully. Try and keep your background as plain as possible. Shelves full of books, family photo’s or the washing up are an unnecessary distraction. Ideally find a quiet dedicated space that you can use for your Zoom calls.
5. Sit at least an arm’s length behind the camera. Many cameras have a wide-angle lens, which isn’t very flattering when you’re sitting up close. Instead, move back from the camera so your entire face is captured onscreen. Ideally, you want to keep yourself centered in front of the camera. Your eyes should remain in the top third of your screen, with a small bit of open space above your head. Your armpits should be at the bottom of the screen.
6. What NOT to wear. When considering your outfit, bold, solid colours, like blue, red, green, or purple are best. Avoid dark coloured clothes, especially black or dark grey. Also avoid heavily patterned fabrics as these don’t show up well on camera. Avoid leopard print or zebra stripes at all costs.
If you don’t have time to address all the points mentioned above Zoom has some nifty features, which can help. Head over to the settings menu where you can choose from a selection of backgrounds and a filter to even out your complexion – perfect if you’ve not had time to tidy or put your make up on!
#zoommeetings #zoomtips #lookgoodonzoom #doublechin #lookyourbest #skintips #zoomlighting #zoomoutfit #whatnottowear #toptips #sixofthebest #hifu #zoom