Professionally, I almost always opt for my white reflector, as I think it creates a more natural-looking fill. I used these two different materials to show that each creates a different effect. In the video, I show off my makeshift reflector made of a cut-open cereal box with tin foil glued on one side and white sheets of printer paper glued onto the other. As a photographer, I’ve got professional-grade reflectors, but it’s very simple to create something of your own. Reflecting natural light is a great way to fill in those shadows. It also tends to emphasize texture and imperfections in the face.
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It’s known for having a fairly moody and mysterious effect, which you may not be going for in your professional meetings-makes me think of Phantom of the Opera, even (who is that mysterious man in the shadows!?).
This lighting pattern where only half of the face is lit is called “Split Lighting”. Sometimes we’re not physically able to move the angle of our desk, or possibly, shifting the angle of ourselves and our computer puts an unfavorable background in view. While the easiest answer would be to turn more towards the window, that’s not always feasible. With the window over on your side, you might notice that the view on the screen shows one side of your face as very bright, and the other side dark with shadows. How nice it is to take a break from staring at the screen all day to gaze at the beautiful trees and pretend we’re outside playing amongst them? But, alas, we must sign into our Zoom meetings… In our home office spaces (or let’s be honest, in our living room, kitchen, laundry room?-wherever it is we find ourselves setting up for these virtual meetings), we often have a window on one side of us. Problem: Bright light on one side, dark shadows on the other If you see it causing that problem, try 1) moving the lamp out of the frame, 2) adjusting the angle of your camera, or 3) just turn the damn thing off. You also want to keep this same idea in mind if you have a bright floor lamp or other light source behind you, as it might create that same kind of dark witness-protection-programmy look that we’re trying to guard against. Think about the person on the other end–it’d be like having a conversation with someone sitting on a judge’s bench! And third, it’s a much more socially comfortable position from which to have a conversation. Isn’t that neat? Second, it’s a much more flattering angle than a view up the nose. Probably, your face will be one of the brightest things it sees and it will adjust to expose for you.
With that gone, there’s likely nothing else as bright in the frame and your camera can balance the exposure much more easily. First, it takes out the light on your ceiling. It’s just so easy! Raising the camera up a bit accomplishes a few things. That translates into a dark face and unflattering shadows. If it’s seeing a very bright light, it tries to expose for it, and it makes the rest of the image darker. As I mentioned in the video, the cameras on our devices (even the smarter ones like iPhones), are reading all of the information they’re being given and trying to average it out.
When that happens, often the camera is also getting a view of whatever overhead light you have in the room. When the camera is at a position lower than your face, we tip it up so that people can see us in the frame. Problem: Bright overhead light in the background Of course, I’m focusing specifically on the problems in regard to lighting and, subsequently, our appearance on camera.
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There are few problems with that (aside from the ache in your neck and shoulders after a full day of looking down at your laptop screen). After signing up, you’ll be given a sneak peek into all 10 tips with a handy Zoom Lighting Quick Guide.Īlright, time to get into it! Let’s talk about one of the most common issues first.Ī lot of people are sitting in front of their laptop when working from home. You want to be heard–like really heard–and that’s so much easier when you can be seen.Ĭheck back here on the blog each day for a new tip, or sign up HERE and it will be sent straight to your inbox. I’ve been a portrait photographer for the past 12 years (professionally–if we’re counting all the time I’ve been obsessed with photographing people, it’s much, much longer) I can tell you that lighting is almost always the single biggest issue. I’m here to help you with at least part of that. I know how frustrating it can feel when you’re using a platform that already has the potential for awkwardness, and on top of that, your space isn’t showing in a way that comes across as polished and professional. I’m giving you 10 whole days of lighting advice to help you become the master of your own Zoom domain.
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