Camera Confident Tricks and Tips

It takes skill and practice to be camera-confident when presenting for a webinar or filming a video for your website or social media.

Virtual presenting has levelled the playing field; the hybrid meeting is accepted, and you will continue to hear and use the phrase, you’re on mute.

When you embrace video as a form of communication, you can shine, whereas in the past, you may have been filled with public speaking fear and anxiety.

How do you improve presenting on camera?

When you type into a search bar “be camera confident or how to speak in public,” you will come up with videos, articles, and a myriad of coaches who, like myself, will help you be camera confident and or confidently speak to an audience.

How often have you heard you need lots of energy when you go on camera? Lots of energy is great if you shoot a reel for Instagram or TikTok. When it comes to presenting on camera, you must strip back to maximise your delivery.

If you bring too much uncontrolled, enthusiastic energy to the small screen, your key messages will be lost, and the autofocus on the camera will not cope.

No matter how great the equipment, your camera delivery, and your content are what you want people to remember!

This is true when you are presenting a webinar, or you are the host of a business live. It is not about you; it is about your content or your guest’s story. Nothing is worse than being confronted by someone’s ego shouting at you down the lens.

You can be bold on stage and bring enthusiastic, passionate energy. You can project and increase your volume, using the pause to make a point. On camera, if you pause, you have dead airtime. The audience thinks the tech has gone wrong. You can pause on camera; it takes skill, practice and an understanding of your vocal patterns to do it well.

6 Steps to Camera Confidence

You must be confident in what you say to hold the audience, or they will switch channels. When you are presenting on camera, you are breaking the fourth wall, in your audience’s hand, in their houses, and on television.

Audience Shoes

Step into the audience’s shoes; this is a must-do, yet very few presenters do this.

• How would you feel watching your presentation on camera?
• What can you do to make the process more enjoyable?
• What has worked well for you when you were in the audience?

Tell a story, engage the audience, use breakout rooms, and have someone monitor the chat. You don’t need to talk constantly down the lens. Ask the audience questions and get them to interact with you like you would in a face-to-face training session.

Less is More

Look at the slide deck from the audience’s POV (Point of View), remove all the fabulous animation, cut back on the text, and choose a simple font. The principle on camera is less is more.

• Black Absorbs all light.
• White reflects all light
• Reds Bleed on camera
• Small and Large patterns and strips buzz

Stay on Topic

You will lose your audience if you go down a rabbit hole wandering off-track looking for the white rabbit. The time presenting on camera is intense for you and for your audience.

• Practice, practice, and practice more
• Know your subject inside and out
• Remove waffle
• Consider the energy of the words you use.

Use positive and empowering language. The audience will switch off, confronted by a stream of negative language.

You and You’re Space

You want to avoid adding unnecessary white noise to your presentation. Limit the distractions, making you the focal point.

• Use a three-point lighting system
• Apply the color principles to what you wear
• Remove your clutter
• Stop using a filter unless you have a green screen

Your Voice

Slow down your speech; there is a delay on camera when presenting. You are in the now, and your audience is a beat or two behind.

• Use your vocal range
• Enunciate your words
• Consider what you say
• Find your rhythm
• Breathe

Do you want to be remembered or forgotten? Your emotional connection to the subject counts when presenting on camera. How you choose to use your words and your voice makes the difference.

The Big One, Eye Contact

This section could be an article all on its own.

Getting the lens to eye level is challenging; its difference is unbelievable. I use a gooseneck mount snaking around my presenting screen, ensuring I can look at the lens when presenting, and at the same time, I do not stare down the lens.

Social media is full of people shouting at you to look at the lens and speak to it. If you take anything away from reading this, please stop. If you did this in person, it would not be nice. When you talk to someone in person, you do not stare at them, making them uncomfortable; do not do this on camera.

Get in touch to find out more.