With the proliferation of iPhones, laptops and webcams, video chatting has become an easy and immediate way to stay connected.
Whether you're talking business, chatting with friends or speaking the love-language you want to look good, and be putting your best foot (or whatever) forward.
Here are 8 quick tips for how to look good on a webcam
1. Lighting
Overhead lighting, fluorescent lighting or even direct light through a window can wash your color out, make your features look harsh, and suck the glam out of the equation. Too much direct lighting, such as the light from your computer screen when the rest of the room is dark/darkened can make you look shiny.
Instead create some indirect light to illuminate your entire face, but keep it soft. Just positioning a couple of lamps on either side of you or in front of you can create a soft, pretty light that makes your skin and your features look pretty. Just don't position them behind you.
2. Keep your webcam/phone cam at eye level or higher.
Ideally you want to look slightly upward into your camera. This makes your facial features look prettier and helps both the skin under your eyes to look firmer and less tired, and it gets rid of a double chin or the shadows that make it look like you have a double chin when you don't.
3. Look Into The Camera
This one is especially pertinent when you are conducting meetings via webcam. Look right into the camera rather than at your own image. When someone doesn't make eye contact while speaking to you it implies dishonesty or lack of interest. Always make eye contact, the way to do this on camera is to look directly into it.
4. Keep The Background Simple
Be aware of whats in your background, especially when you are in meetings. A busy background will distract attention from you and your message. A dark background will erase your features. Keep it simple and keep it light.
5. Wear Blue
Actually blue, or any other soft colors. The camera has a hard time focusing on extremes, so fierce colors, bright colors, whites and reds, and busy patterns are better to be avoided in lieu of more camera friendly
fare. Also beware of olive greens and khakis as they tend to suck the life out of your complexion.
6. Keep Hair and Makeup Simple But Polished
Again, any extremes can read really unflatteringly on camera. Brows that are too over-sculpted, eyes that are too fiercely lined, anything over made-up can look really garish, so opt for slightly more toned down but well groomed. A brighter lip will read well on camera and make your face come alive. A dark, lifeless lipshade (think of flat burgundies, dull, deep browns) can make you look tired and old.
Know that you will probably look a bit shiny on camera, so knock down the shine beforehand with some powder, especially to your nose and forehead.
7. Don't Sit Too Close
For meetings/video conferencing anyway, don't sit too close to the camera.
8. Buy An External Camera
If you video chat/video conference often on a laptop you may want to think about getting a quality external camera like the Logitech HD Pro or the FaceVision Touchcam VI.
They will make you look better and will keep up with internet speeds required for a clear chat.
