With video conferences and interviews almost becoming the norm these days, many of us find it hard to pay attention to the topic of discussion, being distracted by the way we look on screen.
Mostly because of bad lighting, the dark circles under the eyes or unruly hair show up as also clutter in the background, if you are sitting at home.
You are not alone in finding these video conferences to be quite a trial. A 2014 survey by US furniture maker Steelcase revealed that 72% of people felt self-conscious about their image on video. Almost 58% were worried that they appeared washed out or tired.
The presence of the camera also made people behave in a very forced and formal way during these meetings. They sit up very straight like TV news anchors and show reluctance to move.
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Steelcase has designed a sci-fi sounding ‘Wormhole’ to conduct video conferences. I is a glass enclosed conference room with strategically positioned chairs, face-flattering lights, discreet microphones, and fabric-wrapped walls for better sound quality and privacy.
However, not everyone could afford to invest thousands in a proprietary, fully-integrated Steelcase suite. Companies and teleworkers can still create much better teleconference venues through small adjustments to their existing video set-up.
The video camera should be placed correctly with regard to height and angle. If it is too low, the focus would be on the nostrils, as could happen to laptop users who put their computers on a low coffee table.
If it is positioned too high, the camera would provide a distorted picture.
Eye contact with the other participants in the video conference is to be made by looking at the camera and not at the computer screen. According to Steelcase, in the survey of 2,022 participants, researchers noted that telecommuters struggled to make eye contact because their instinct was to look at the screen rather than into computer’s camera lens.
Drawing lessons from professional TV broadcast lighting scenarios, Steelcase engineers found that light directed towards the speaker at around a 45-degree angle and bounced on a wood desk helped to fill out the contours of the face and hide dark circles around the eyes.
It also prevents the under-the-chin flashlight effect, like in a horror movie.
Clutter in the background can be distracting and embarrassing. Some work-at-home employees place professional-looking backdrops to hide the household mess. The background wall is best left bare to help simplify the visual information onscreen. Otherwise, the participants may get distracted with the personal photographs or other displays. (Image Courtesy: plus.google.co)