For those of us who aren’t ridiculously good looking like Derek Zoolander, being in front of the camera can be daunting for a lot of people. A lot of people don’t even like having their photograph taken let alone stand there and be the centre of attention for the world to see. But, it has to be done if you want to move your business forward. And the more you do it, the easier it gets! So to ease those nerves I want to give you some tips that I give to all my clients to help boost their confidence. Because looking and feeling good will radiate out to your viewers and raise your profile.
Hair and makeup.
Let’s get the basics out of the way first. Hair and makeup. Nobody likes a bad hair day. If your hair is frustrating you it will be hard to hide those frustrations on camera. If you have the time before the shoot then consider getting your hair cut and makeup done. Especially if you are bulk shooting your content. It’ll be worth the investment. Having a fresh look will really raise your game and you’ll have more energy and your confidence will shine as much as your hair!
Clothes.
Everyone loves to shop right? Even those blokes who say they hate shopping can’t deny how good it feels to have some new clothes on. Think about what you will wear on camera. If you are bulk shooting then you may want a couple of outfit changes. New clothes fit better, the colours are more sharp, crisp and will really pop on screen. Again, if you love what you are wearing then that raises your confidence bar. Try to avoid clothes with tight thin lines or crossed patterns. These can interfere with the camera sensor and it can look distorted to your viewer.
Lighting.
Ok, lighting is the most important factor in looking good in video and photography. I’m also a photographer in Sydney and I don’t like shooting during the middle of the day as the sun is overhead and there are strong shadows. This is unflattering for any subject. I book my shoots early or later in the day when the light is softer and more golden.
Video lighting needs to be soft and even. Consider using a 3 point lighting setup. (See diagram).
The first light in the diagram is your key light. This is used as your main light and should be set at an angle and set to 100% strength of your overall setup.
The next light is your fill light. This should be set up across the camera opposite your key light. It should be set to 50% of your overall setup.
The final light is your backlight or hair light as it can be known. This should be set up behind yourself, higher than your other two lights and angling back down towards you. This light helps to separate you from the background, giving your shot more depth and making it more pleasing to your viewer’s eye.
By having the fill and key light in place, it casts a nice even glow across your skin and hides any imperfections. Use a softbox to create soft shadows. Soft shadows are a lot less harsh to look at than having a full-on light beaming into your face.
If you don’t have a softbox then you could always turn your lights around and bounce them off a whiteboard. If you don’t have any lights then stand next to a window and let the natural light flow over you. Another option is to hire a professional like Exposed Wolf, (blatant plug).
A professional will tell you how you are looking on camera, whether your hair is out of place or if you have lipstick on your teeth!
Make sure you turn off all other lights in the room as they can create ugly shadows. Especially downlights. You can also get colour spill from other lights which can give you unflattering skin tones.
So there you have it. Some quick tips on how to look good and feel good on camera. It’s all about giving off that confidence that will make prospects, in turn, have the confidence to work with you.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing more of you out there on camera, radiant and confident!
Gareth Carr
Cinematographer & Photographer based in Sydney, Australia
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Website: https://www.exposedwolf.com
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Exposed Wolf is a video production & photography company based in Sydney, Australia. With over 20 years of industry experience, they can help you with planning, shooting and editing your projects to give you months of powerful content to raise your business and brand.