1. Clothing. Wear a top that you’d wear to the office, but stay away from stark whites, blacks, and busy patterns that might look weird on camera. Your best bet is pastels or other soft, solid colors. And pants don’t matter as much if you’re sitting down.
2. Hair and makeup. Don’t go nuts. A little hairspray on your hands can smooth down stray hairs. Use concealer under your eyes that’s a shade LIGHTER than normal, because it looks good on camera. And if your face looks shiny, a little powder can help . . . even if you’re a guy.
3. Lighting. Natural light looks best, so face a window and get as close as you can. If that’s not an option, put a light behind your computer, not overhead. Lights from above give you dark shadows, and lighting from below can give you a double chin.
4. The background. A blank wall with a few “friendly props” is fine. Like plants and a picture. No need to go overboard. You just don’t want to show off your ENTIRE home. Especially if there’s a lot of activity, like kids running around.
5. The setup. You might want to put your computer on a few books to get the camera up at eye level. Your head and shoulders should be in the shot, but don’t show anything below your stomach. And don’t zoom in too close on your face.
