The purpose of this article is to help you get the most out of your Video Conference Meeting


Tips Outline:

  1. Lighting 
  2. Camera Placement (Rule of Thirds)
  3. Basic Etiquette


1) Lighting

To get the best out of your video conference being well lit is a good start. It is better to see facial expressions when you have the correct lighting.

The traditional lighting for a video is 3 lights. One straight in front of you and two at 45 degrees off of the center light on either side. This is hard to do at home so we do with what we have. 

  1. Try and get lamps with Daylight 5-6k bulbs as that will provide the best light to see you. 
  2. Put them behind you computer so the light is shining on your face. 
  3. Try not to have a bight light behind you as that will make your face dark. 
    • If there is a window behind you, try and turn your camera angle to get the least amount of window in your picture. 
    • You can also turn around and use that Daylight from the Window on your face to help light you, as natural light is the best.
    • If you are in a quiet place and it is nice outside, Sunshine is the best light, try a conference out there (mute your mic until you need to talk, don't want the trash truck interruption!)

Check out the link from The Verge (at the bottom of this article) as it has some good examples of this.


2) Camera Placement

With a laptop, more than likely it's sitting on the table and the camera is below your head. This does not allow for the best camera angle! You best placement of your camera (usually at the top of your laptops) should be inline with your eyes.

This picture is from theVerge link below, but it shows a good example of how to raise your laptop

(Remember no one can see what you laptop is sitting on, but please make sure it won't fall off)


Rule of Thirds: is a photography rule but can apply to video conferencing. In short picture a grid of nine equal parts and place you on the intersection of those lines. Also remember to not sit to close to your camera as you will be very large to everyone watching.

This example from the link improvephotography below show the grid over a scene from a TV show that isn't quite on for the rule of thirds but is very close and would be good for Video Conferencing.


3) Basic Etiquette 

  • In a large conference (or Training with a presenter) mute your microphone to limit background noise. (think of this like turning off your ringer in the movie theater)
  • Turn on your camera! When someone is speaking to you (training or conference) people like to see faces and reactions. This is to help the presenter know how they are doing.
  • Dress appropriately, just like you are in the workplace!
  • Don't worry about your background all that much. If you follow the rule of thirds the focus will be on you not your background.
  • Limit your distractions just like in a in office meeting. Don't be constantly texting or multitasking, give the presenter your attention and give them feedback. 

Check out the CNN link below for tips



Useful Links

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/3-tips-for-lighting-a-zoom-meeting-on-a-budget/

https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/8/21202907/zoom-tips-video-call-lighting-audio-look-your-best 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/success/video-conference-work-from-home/index.html

https://improvephotography.com/34696/rule-of-thirds/