10 Amazing Tips that Help You Look Professional on Your Camera

It goes without saying: video production is on top today. Basically, with variety of options and tools available right off the shelf, everybody is able to shoot a video podcast, record presentation, webinar or tutorial guide.

However, the question is: what can I do to make my videos more attractive to keep the viewers’ attention?

Did you know that most viewers close the video window within the first 5 -15 seconds! That’s not much to win a new subscriber, right?

What is the outcome of that?

If you want to achieve a success in this video-centric, competitive Internet space, first impression is everything.

In this article, you will find 11 amazing tips that will help you become a true professional in front of your video camera and consequently get more views. Would you like to learn the secrets of the most popular presenters of TV shows?

So let’s get started!

First and foremost…

1.Prepare a detailed plan

It is highly recommended to prepare a plan before you start recording. Even if you know your whole  content by heart and feel vey self-confident about that. Believe me or not… when the lights on and you will have to look at the lens of switched-on camera, you may happen to forget not only your text lines, but also your own name.

It may sounds like a joke but seriously, writing down everything step by step in a document or script, gives you an extra boost of confidence and saves both of your precious time and nerves.

How to prepare a plan? You may draw up a bullet point list of the most important things to say or a whole description plan of your performance in details.

Don’t forget to outline all multimedia, which you would like to include in your recordings such as videos, screenshots, charts etc.

2.Dressed for success

Generally, wear clothing that makes you feel good about yourself. However, you need to remember to choose style that matches circumstances and your profession of course. Basically, knowing what to wear is equally significant as knowing what not to put on. So…

SUPER TIP! Avoid stripes if it’s possible since lines tend to flutter on camera. We don’t want to get the effect of uncontrolled stripes dance on the screen, right?

I guess I don’t even have to state, that wearing green color while using green screen will result in a bit awkward effect leaving you only with your head and hands flying unconnected on the screen like a Halloween ghost.

Regarding an office environment, do not put on fabrics that will blend into one object with walls. Broadly speaking, you should select bright colors to lighten up the space around you. However, never pick up clothes that are too vivid, since this eye-shocking technique will disperse your viewers’ attention for sure.

What about shooting outdoors? Well.. the things are no longer that simple in this case.  Since there are many various distractions that may disperse your audience attention, such as noise of busy street, passers-by, etc. You need to stand out from the environment by putting on clothes which will stay in CONTRAST with the surrounding. But, do not push the point either – Superman or a Pink Panter outfit might be to much actually.

Some basics: do not wear black clothes that absorb too much light or elements that reflect the lights too much such as bright yellow, white or red, since they might be too obtrusive.

3. Watch your body language

Did you know that your body language speaks louder than you words? Facial expression, posture, hand gestures and body movements are important message while communicating with other people.

Learn how much the language of your body may reinforce the information you’re trying to get your audience through and help you to earn the trust of your viewers.

First of all, know your hands “home-base“. The most problematic issue related to body language while video recording is: where to safely put my hands so that it looks natural? Following this direction, our so called “home-base” is a natural resting place for our hands.

ATTENTION! Do not put your hands below your waist line. You want people to focus on your face or eyes… Putting your hands below the belt is really not very good idea.

While in resting place, your left hand fingers shall touch the right hand fingers in a “spider” position.

Avoid uncontrolled hands and body movements. All your gestures shall be purposeful and deliberate. If you happen to encounter a stressful situation and you don’t know where to put your hands remember about your “home-base”.

4. Smile and be positive

Remember about smiling. It’s important to have a pleasant facial expression while in front of camera. Even if it seems to you a bit weird or unnatural, you need to know this eternal truth: We all love watching positively crazy people! Scientifically speaking, the smile is a sign that was marked with the highest positive emotional content. According to recent studies, smiling may reduce our stress level and generates more positive emotions.

USEFUL TIP: Practice smiling as well as your facial expression in front of a mirror! It’s funny but actually works.

By the way, did you know that women smile more than men? So if it’s so powerful why not smile more?

5. Where to look?

Generally, it is recommended to look straight at the camera but not to gaze at it with no break! Looking away occasionally, will make your performance more authentic and natural.

Although staring at an inanimate piece of equipment might make you feel uncomfortable at the beginning, try to imagine that you’re talking to a best friend or family member. Don’t worry, you will gradually get used to it.

Learning your text by heart might be difficult but here’s where the video editing tools come in handy. Remember that you can always cut off the unwanted part of your recording and edit it so cleverly, that nobody even notice that you have had your hands in it. So.. if you forget the lines do not panic! Check your notes, back to the camera and just say it again. Good video editor can work wonders.

6. Sound naturally

Did you know that the tone and pace of your voice is one of the most important “know-how” technique to master, next to your body language? That’s true. Generally speaking, you should sound naturally and self-confident, nobody likes to watch or listen to stressed out, petrified  people speaking with a trembling and weak voice.

REMEMBER that your audience will partly judge your credibility and sincerity as well as your attitude towards them on the basis of your voice. That is why, if you want to sound good in front of your camera, you must learn to use your voice effectively. You may not know that, but like with your body language, your voice can strenghten the message you want to deliver.

EXTRA TIP: Don’t speak in a monotone. If you don’t want to bore your viewers to death, modulate your voice changing the volume, pitch and rhythm.

Warm up your voice reciting Tongue Twisters and vowel exercises. Such practice will support not only better pronunciation of words but also get your brain and mind coordinate to play in one team.

Start now! Try to say that out loud:

“How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood
As a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood.”

Well… not that easy as it seems to be at the first glance, right? How well did you do?

7. Deal with bloopers the right way

“I am a human being; nothing human can be alien to me”… but bloopers as well? The answer is, YES! Everybody happens to make mistakes, but the question is how to deal with them in front of switched-on camera?

To start with.. avoid two things for sure.

Firstly, do not make a big deal out of it. If you mess up, just start again your thought or sentence. Don’t waste your viewers’ time laughing or dwelling about the blooper longer than it is necessary – just do it quickly.

Secondly, do not think about your slip too much, since it might leave you unbalanced and in the result you will make more mistakes.

8. Watch your diet

You may think: What a nonsense! How can eggs and becon, I’ve just tucked into for breakfast, affect my camera look or video recordings? Well… they can. Calories are important because they let us recharge the batteries and provide energy during the whole day. But what you eat makes a big difference.
Gurgling guts and rumbling stomach will not sound good on the recording video as well as embarassing burps given straight to your microphone. Okay, you may say: Upsy-daisy… sorry guys!, but isn’t prevention better than that?

What to avoid?

Sugar, definitely. It makes your mouth filled with a lot of saliva that gathers in your throat and mouth corners, leaving your viewers with rather unpleasant experience.

You may limit your coffee intake as well and replace it with a glass of water to moisten your mouth and get rid of that unpleasant feeling of frog in the throat.

Light meal and fruit snacks are most welcome.

9. Remember about breathing

Did you know that the right breathing techniques can make your voice sound better? For example speaking too fast is caused by not stopping for a breath often enough, and on the other hand, speaking too slowly might indicate that you do not take in enough air.

USEFUL TIP: Take time to inhale and exhale at least five times before you even start to speak.

Pitch of your voice matters as well. You need to change the pitch to make your speech more interesting for your listeners’ ears. Too high-pitched or too low, squeezed voice might be the effect of wrong breathing technique. When we are stressed or nervous, remebering about the right breathing method is probably the last thing that comes to our mind. However, if you feel that the course of your talk speeds up, just make a pause or slow down and don’t forget to take a breath from time to time.

10. Calm you nerves

Do not go in front of your camera full of nerves, with racing heart and sweaty palms.

Try to calm down first. If you mess up you can always record the scene again. If you feel nervous or tired, take a short break, go outside  for a mini walk to take a breath of fresh air, listen to your favourite music or dance.

Broadly speaking, every person is different, that is why we should find our own personal calming technique that suits best our character and lifestyle.

And last but not least!

Practise, practise, practise…

All right. Are you ready to go?

So…

… lights, camera, action!

If you feel inspired with the article you may also be interested in finding the best tool that helps you record your audio commetary, webcam and screen in high quality resolution with logo overlay and viewer counter statistics?
Maybe you want to LIVE stream your recording directly to most popular platforms and services such as YouTube and Facebook? If yes, check Action! Screen Recorder, easy-to-use yet advanced screen recording software for Windows.