Webcam Tips and Techniques: The Basics – Part Two

What to Wear

There's no need to dress up for a webcam conversation; after all, it's not a performance, it's like a telephone call with video attached. However, there are some colours and patterns that work better with video. For instance, a distracting shirt or top will draw attention away from your face. When considering what colours to wear, remember that red is the most difficult colour for video to reproduce, while blue is the most easily rendered colour for video and is usually the most flattering choice for most people. A white shirt or blouse will make your face look darker, and conversely, wearing black will make your face look lighter.

Art Direction

The art director of a feature film is the person who supervises the design and building of the sets. For your webcam conversations, you're the art director, and there are a few simple things you can do to significantly improve your own "set." The most important thing you can do is pay attention to the background. What's going to be seen on either side of your head in the webcam's shot? The best backgrounds are not too distracting, but still contain objects of mild interest that are reasonably well-lit. For webcam video, which is highly compressed, a plain background is easier to compress, and a static background always looks better than one with moving objects.

What to Do

Now that you have your lighting, camera shot and set adjusted to your liking, there are a few details that will make your webcam experience more enjoyable. First, make sure your spouse, roommates, or children are all aware that you'll be talking and appearing on a webcam call. The behaviour of an unruly child or amorous spouse might be quite different if that person is aware that a live camera will be present, with outsiders looking in. Another important consideration is for you to do what your mama told you and sit up straight -- everyone looks better with good posture, but you don't want to be sitting up ramrod straight, either. Try to look and feel as comfortable as you can. Also, as you talk to your caller, make it a point to look into the webcam lens -- this will give you the most sincere appearance.

Finally, remember that video is a visual medium, so show things to your caller. Take advantage of this wonderful visual medium, and don't be afraid to pick up the webcam and point it at objects in the room -- show the caller your kids, anything you're talking about -- make it visual! Another good idea is to ensure you'll have willing conversation partners with your webcam by sending a webcam to someone you miss and want to see. Webcam prices are getting steadily lower -- some usable models are obtainable for as little as €20 -- while their quality continually improves. In addition, the increasing prevalence of broadband connections means that more people will have the bandwidth to carry on high-quality webcam conversations.