Do you find yourself suddenly stuck working at home with Covid-19 keeping you out of the office? Need to have video calls/video meetings/video conferences from home and want to look professional? Whenever I have a photo or video shoot, I do a lot of set dressing and light work, so I thought I'd would pass on my experience to everyone who might not be as familiar with what to do. Here are just a few quick tips to help you get started.
Go Towards the Light
First thing you will need is a good light source. As you are just starting out from working from home, we will keep things simple and use window light. You want to position yourself near a window, but not with your back to it. If you do that, the background will be well lit and your face will be dark - and that's almost the exact opposite of what we want! Instead, face the window, but keep yourself out of direct sunlight. You will end up unable to see your own computer screen and will be squinting to see, which is isn't exactly the professional image you want to give off in a zoom meeting!
Clear the Background
The next thing you want is a background that is free from distractions. You don't want to be trying to get your point across but have your audience trying to read your DVD titles on the bookshelf behind you rather than listening to you! It doesn't have to be absolutely devoid of personality or home touches, but not too much to distract your viewers. If you are struggling to find a blank wall, you could always try against the back of a door that is neutral in colour.
In this short video I demonstrate these tips for you. Let me know if you have any questions!