Zoom meetings, Live Streaming, and other video presentations have become our new normal. Make sure you are presenting a quality image of you online to give people confidence in you. Look professional or at make sure people can see and hear you well.

Take a look at your image on the screen from the viewer’s perspective. Does that person look professional?

Lighting

I am amazed how many people who should know better look like they are presenting from a garden shack.

The main problem is inadequate or poorly positioned lighting.

Make the best use of what you have.

Turn on all of the lights.

Make sure there are no lights visible to camera behind you.

Sit by a window with natural light in front of you or to the side. A 45 degree angle works well.

Add more lighting.

I use an inexpensive soft-light from amazon. Household lamps, shop lights, LED lights, and reflective surface to redirect light on to your face can help.

Tip: You can bounce harshe lights off of walls and ceilings to avoid glare and reflections in your glasses.

Camera

Sadly, most laptop and desktop computers have disappointing cameras built-in. Chances are that your phone has a much better camera built-in.

Attention to lighting will help the camera.

Consider getting a quality separate webcam that clips on to your computer or sits on a tripod.

Microphone

Most of the time the microphone built into your computer is adequate.

Sometimes there can be problems with noise from the computer, echo, or poor quality.

You can get better sound by using a headset or adding a stand-alone mic.

There are many many options.

I use an iRig HD microphone that sits on a little tripod. It has fantastic sound and can also plug into an iPhone for interviews.

There are many similar and inexpensive mics available at Amazon and local stores. Your local music store likely has a good selection.

Many podcasters are now using large condenser microphones on a mic stand. Looks cool and sounds great.

Natural Backgrounds

Try to have a nice looking background in the shot. Nice shelves with flowers and books can look good. Avoid the possibility of your partner coming out of the shower naked, forgetting that you are live!

Virtual Backgrounds

We broadcast from our motorhome and do not have a good natural background.

So we use green-screen that we made from foam board and green paint that we bought at Michaels. We cut the board to fit the contour of the dining area in our Class-C motorhome.

The newer computers have enough video processing power to use a virtual background. A plain colored wall or green screen will help.

Scripting Tip

Most people do not sound natural reading from a script.

However, it is usually worth the time to write out a script to help clarify your message.

Outline Tip

You can take a small flip notebook and write the title of your talk and say 5 main points.

Hang it over your computer screen as close to the camera as possible so that you can glance at if needed.

Just Do It

You will get better with practice. So simple setup up your lighting and microphone to make you look good and broadcast often. Every day is good.