We’ve all been there before. Sitting at our desk in the middle of a meeting and noticing ourselves on screening thinking “is that really what I look like?” Surely, I’m not that pale. Does everyone see that huge zit on my face? Okay, what was I thinking with my hair today? None of us were prepared for the hundreds of virtual meetings we’re now taking and many of us did not have the setup for it. So, as with everything happening in the world today, we were caught off guard.
These, my darlings, are all solvable problems (even finding you a new hairstyle). All you need to know is a few photography hacks to make you look your best in today’s meeting and all the ones coming up.
Zoom Hack #1
It’s all about the lighting.
Yes, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, lighting is everything.
You can go look up all the mechanics and science of lighting on the internet, or ask me about it on DM and I could do my best to explain it but as my mother always likes, I’ll explain it to you like you’re six.
- No direct sunlight.
- Choose a large light source (i.e. a window, the bigger the better).
- Don’t have light behind you but face the light.
That’s it. We could dive deep into why smaller lights create larger shadows or that color of the light or even the change of colors the further away you get from a surface, but I won’t. All you need to know is that you should set your phone/computer up in front of a window so that you are facing said window and there are now lights on (or more windows) behind you. Backlight (light behind you) causes the camera to compensate by making you darker, which isn’t what we’re going for.
If you have a big zit on your face, put some cover-up, otherwise, this lighting trick should solve the majority of your issues.
You can’t move your computer you say? Then do whatever you can to not have backlighting. Pull the blinds, shift the computer so it points to a different wall and set up as much light in front of you as you can.
Zoom Hack #2
Your camera makes all the difference.
If you’re using the same computer you had when you used dial-up, I highly recommend having your meetings by your phone. The truth of the matter is, your phone is going to have a better camera than any of your other devices, especially if it was made within the last 2 years. Cameras on the back of the phone are the best, but nobody FaceTimes with those, so you’re selfie camera will do just fine. When it comes to computers, I’ve found that my Desktop performs better than my laptop (both 3 years old) and the newer your tablet the better your chances of having a better image.
You’ll notice that the cameras create a grainy texture called pixelation. It’s because of the lowgrade quality of the camera. The more well-lit your space is, the better this camera will perform but don’t expect perfection.
If you want to look your best, have your meetings on your phone. If you can’t swing that then focus on your lighting making sure that your face is well-lit and your background doesn’t have any hot spots (bright lights).
We these two Zoom hacks, you’ll be one step closer to looking as great as you do in person. At the very least, you’ll have the boost of confidence you need to impress the boss and own that meeting.
