The built-in webcam on most notebooks and all-in-ones isn’t going to be great, and you can almost always improve things by buying a dedicated webcam instead. It’s probably controllable directly in whatever app you’re using, but on Macs, also try going to System Preferences > Sound > Input to check if the level is directly controllable for the device you’re using, and if tweaking that produces the result you’re looking for.
It’s not usually much of an issue, because most apps and systems set pretty sensible defaults, but if you’re also doing something unusual like sitting further away from your laptop to try to fit a second person in frame, then you might want to turn up the input audio slider to make sure anyone listening can actually hear what you have to say. Get to know where the input volume settings are for your device and operating system. And if you’re living in a pandemic-induced mess of clutter, just shovel the clutter until it’s out of frame. Close doors that are in frame, and try not to film in front of an uncovered window.
Ideally, you can find a spot where the background is fairly minimal, with some organized decor visible. It’s definitely too much to ask to set dress your surroundings for every video call you jump on, but it is worth taking a second to spot check what’s visible in the frame. It’s enough of a change to make it look less like I got caught by surprise with my video on, and more like I actually am attending a meeting I’m supposed to take part in. The image above is without any light beyond the room’s ceiling lights on, and the image below is turning on a lamp and positioning it directed on my face from above and behind the Surface Book. Check out these examples below, screen grabbed from my Microsoft Surface Book 2 (which actually has a pretty good built-in video camera, as far as built-in video cameras go). That might mean moving a lamp, or moving your computer if all your available lights are in a fixed position, but it can make a dramatic difference. One of the easiest things you can do to improve the look of your video is to simply turn on any light you have handy and position it behind the camera shining on your face.
Level 0 Turn on a light and put it in the right place Whether you’re just looking to improve your daily virtual stand-up, gearing up for presenting at a virtual conference, or planning a new video podcast, here’s some advice about what to do to make the most of what you’ve got, or what to get if you really want to maximize your video and audio quality. There are a number of ways to up your game, however – by spending either just a little or a whole lot. That’s not likely going to change anytime soon, so why not make the most of it? The average MacBook webcam can technically get the job done, but it’s far from impressive. Your life probably involves a lot more videoconferencing now than it did a few weeks ago – even if it already did involve a lot.
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