Webcam Tips and Techniques: The Basics – BroadcastNewsroom

So you got yourself a webcam. What next? Here’s a basic primer, showing you what to do and what not to do to get the most out of your webcam. Whether you’re in a corporate environment or at home, I’ll show you how to pay attention to lighting, what to wear, where to locate your webcam, how to deal with the audio, and special techniques you can use to enhance your webcam experience. Best of all, just by reading this article, you’ll know more than most people do about giving your webcam appearance a professional flair.
Camera Angles
When you first take the webcam out of the box, you’ll be presented with a quandary: where to place the webcam? The most natural place is to clamp it onto the top of your computer monitor. This is probably going to be the best place to put it. Keep in mind, though, that if your face is higher than the top of your computer monitor, the webcam will be shooting at an upward angle to your face, which is not flattering for hardly anybody. You don’t want that camera to be pointing up your nose, getting detailed pictorial renditions of your nose hairs. Raise the camera angle so that its lens is at least level with your eyes, if not slightly higher.
Next, make sure your shot is properly framed. Position yourself in the shot, and then tilt and pan the camera until your head is not cut off, but don’t tilt the camera up so much that there’s too much space over your head, either — that makes it look like you’re sitting in a hole. Frame it up so there’s just a slight amount of space between your head and the top of the frame. Make sure you’re close enough to the lens so that your face can be plainly seen. Experiment with camera placement, too, where attached atop your computer monitor might be its default position, but be open to other locations as well. For example, if your computer is close enough to the kitchen, consider getting a long USB cable, and setting up your webcam at the dinner table, so that a long-lost relative can have a simulated dinner with you and your family.

Webcam Tips and Techniques