Preparing for Your Live or Recorded Virtual Session
Whether you're presenting live for an education program or for a virtual conference please keep the following in mind:
Background: Ensure your background is visually appealing and not too distracting. A plant or two in the background allows for visual appeal without being distracting. Scan behind you to ensure there aren’t any books, posters, or decorations you would prefer not to share with the ASPE audience. The more visual clutter or movement that is behind you, the more likely your video recording quality will be poor or a much larger file size.
Lighting: Ensure your face is well lit. Natural light from a window is preferred, but you can also move lamps beside your webcam to brighten up your face. Keep in mind, natural lighting from a window may change due to cloud cover so you can do a test run using the test Zoom meeting link.
Height: Make sure your webcam is at eye level. This makes it feel like you’re making eye contact with the audience. You can raise your laptop up on books or boxes. You could tape a picture of a beloved family member or pet next to your webcam to remind you to smile when you look in the camera. Frame your full head and shoulders in the camera picture. The bottom of the video frame should come to the middle of your chest.
Noise: Pick your presentation spot carefully, where you will not be interrupted by family, friends or pets. Mute all cell phones, doorbell alarms, and notifications on your computer such as email chimes or meeting reminders. Close the door to your recording space.
Wardrobe: Choose attire that you would wear if you were attending an in-person conference. Plain-colored shirts and pants are optima, please avoid busy patterns or stripes. Avoid bright white or black tops as they mess up lighting. Consider wearing clothing that is the opposite of your background’s tone. Your webcam will work best if it can find a good contrast between you and your background.