Looking your best in virtual meetings

Virtual meetings meetings are a regular thing right now. If you are going to be on Zoom, Google Hangouts or another platform — most likely you want to look your best.

When I say look your best, I’m not talking about what you are wearing or how you have your hair styled. I’m talking about positioning yourself in front of the computer’s camera in a way that allows you to look your best.

Here is some advice for your next virtual meeting

Lighting your face in virtual meetings

People frequently sit by a window during a virtual meeting. That can be great – if you are facing the right direction. If you are sitting with the window behind you and have the camera facing the window, it’s the wrong direction. The problem with that is the camera in the computer will expose for the window. Anything in front of the window will go dark, including yourself. The result is that you will be in silhouette while the scene outside the window will be perfectly exposed.

The best way to correct this is to simply turn around. Have the computer camera turned away from the window and have your face facing the window. You will get natural looking light on your face and it will result in you looking your best.

Be careful, however, that the light is not too bright on your face so that you looked washed out. If possible, move farther away from the window. Or put a white sheet in front of the window so it diffuses the light and results in a softer look.

If you are lighting your face with non-natural light, it’s best to use a daylight bulb. Your skin tone will look better than if you were to use a warmer bulb. Make sure the light is higher than your face so you won’t have any distracting shadows. And place the light in front of your face, not behind.

Positioning your face

When you are looking down at the camera on your computer, phone or tablet, you are being seen from the wrong angle. You appear to be looking down on someone, and the camera is capturing the bottom of your chin or your neck. Your eyes are looking down, and it could even look like your eyes are closed.

Raise the camera to at least your eye level or even above. It will be a more pleasing angle and you won’t be looking downward. Prop your laptop or tablet on something higher so the lens is focused directly at your eyes.

Do not – I repeat do not – have your phone in your lap while you drive and let the camera be looking up at your face. You don’t want to be viewed from this direction during a virtual meeting. Likewise, don’t carry your phone or laptop as you walk during the meeting. There’s too much movement.

Look at your laptop camera, not the person talking. The people on the other end will see you in a better light as you will be looking right at them.

For additional information, check out this article.