So, funny story. I’ve always been conscious about my imperfect looks and hesitant to be on camera because of it. And this fear was recently brought to light when a student I was teaching agreed with me that I was no model material, haha! But aside from the ego-bashing I took in that instant, I came to realize that so many of us don’t start with video because of this same fear: we don’t like how we look or sound on camera.
So how did I bust through this fear and gather almost 3000 people who now watch me on YouTube? And more, importantly how can you bust through this fear and come into the brilliant personality that you are?
Find out in this episode! Hope you don’t mind me poking fun at myself a little in this video 😉
Camera Confidence: How to Make Videos When you Don’t Like the Way You Look
Look, let’s get real here. I don’t like my face, my nose is too big, my teeth are crooked, my hair gets frizzy, my skin feels oily, etc etc. I’m no model material and but here I am on video. I’ve done my own hair and makeup and I’m wearing my own clothes, so I haven’t spent anything on anyone making me look pretty or anything. And yet, there’s almost 3000 of you who seem to think I have something worthwhile to say.
If you were asked to speak in a room full of 3000 people, it would be a major big deal, wouldn’t you say? Yet here I am, average-looking at best, speaking to an audience of almost 3000.
So what does that tell you?
There’s something way more important than your looks or your voice.
And that’s your content. Your message, Your story. What you choose to impart.
Look -there’s stuff you can change and there’s stuff you can’t change. You were born with your face and voice and it wouldn’t be easy to change those. But you can hone your speaking skills, you can develop an expertise that’s worth talking about, you can choose to share an important message that you believe in.
You can get better at making videos. You can get better at storytelling. You can get better at content delivery. And people will follow you if they can relate to you. It’s that simple.
6 WAYS TO PRESENT YOUR BEST FACE ON VIDEO
Now I’m not saying you should show up on video looking as though you just got out of bed (unless that’s the kind of videos you wanna make) but there are certain things you CAN do to make sure your face is presented in the best light possible.
1. Lighting
A face that’s well lit will look even and smooth. Your skin will look better when there’s more light on it and your features will look smoothes and fresher without any dark shadows. So make you sure you film in front of ample natural light or bright artificial lights.
2. Camera Angle
Be sure to hold the camera at an attractive angle to your face. If the audience looks up your nose and chin and down at you, you’ll look a bite weird (anyone would at those awful angles!). So give yourself the best angle – which is eye-level. Make sure the camera’s eye is at the same level as your eye for the most attractive results.
3. Backdrop
Your backdrop sets the tone for the vibe of your video. A messy, unattractive background will make you appear unattractive. Spend some time thinking about how your backdrop meshes with your content ad the overall vibe of your channel.
4. High Contrast – wear clothes that will show up in contrast to your background
5. Audio
I’ve said this before but it bears repetition: audio quality is almost always more important than video quality. Invest in a good mic so people can understand your message. They’ll forgive an unattractive face, but they won’t forgive an inaudible voice. My mic recommendations are as follows:
Boya M1 Lavalier Mic ($19.90)
Audio Technica Lavalier Mic ($34.95)
6. Relax and bring your personality
Video is best utilized when you feel confident showing off your personality. That’s when your audience gets the most immersive experience. So do what you need to – dance, listen to music, exercise, smile, talk to your BFF – to get your personality to the forefront before you start shooting.
YOUR TURN
What was the most important camera confidence tip for you? Share in the comments below. Join my Facebook Group to create video in a supportive environment.