How many people wear reading glasses on video calls? More and more it seems. How’s it working? Based on my observations, often not well. So what’s the problem? The problem is that if there are noticeable reflections in your glasses then people can’t see your eyes, at least not clearly. And that’s a problem because for sighted people the eyes play a huge part in our communication. Seeing eye to eye, literally, is key to achieving a sense of connection. Video call technologies create so many barriers to clear and effective communication and to true connection. We owe it to ourselves to mitigate those barriers as well as we possibly can, so our message is not compromised or lost. Eyeglass glare is one thing we can definitely fix.
The main reason for the computer-screen-in-the-eyeglass lenses-phenomenon is that the main source of illumination for your face is your computer screen. In my sample screen grab I wore my husband’s huge glasses and dimmed the light in the room to illustrate a worst case scenario, a scenario unfortunately not all that uncommon. Maybe it’s after dark so you have no available daylight, and the only light in the room is a ceiling fixture above and behind you, or something like that. So the brightest light hitting your face is coming from your computer screen.
Yes, your webcam can pick up your face with just the light from your screen, but it’s
having to work really hard to make your face look properly exposed, and sacrifices to image quality are inevitable. The less light on you and your face the more grainy and blurry you look.
What’s the solution? Light! And not just any light…it must be brighter light than the light coming from your monitor.
In my diagram, I’m using an 18 inch ring light. You don’t have to use a ring light. You do have to position whatever light you have above your face shining down so the angle of reflection doesn’t include your glasses. The advantage of a large ring light is that it still illuminates you evenly when placed at a bit of a distance from your face. The smaller the light source, the less flattering the light will look, and the less effective it will be.
Notice how sharp the screen grab is with the ring light. The web cam was happy.
For more tips on showing up powerfully on video calls presence I invite you to check out the videos on my website. Or get in touch for a private consult so I can see what you’re doing and help you make it better. People want to see you!
And of course, photography. Anyone who knows me knows that’s what I really do. Let’s have a video call to chat about your next project…just make sure to light up your lovely face!
#corporatephotography, #corporateportraits, #authorportraits, #profileportraits, #bookcovers, #portraitphotography
kathryn@hollinrake.com
