How To Look Good On Camera

In video marketing, personal connection is key. And one of the easiest ways to strike a personal connection is to show up on video. If you’re not used to the spotlight, you probably have no idea how to talk on camera. The last thing you want is to look stiff, unnatural, or awkward on the internet. But how to look good on camera depends on many factors and, all of which, are controllable.

Here’s the good news: Camera confidence is a skill that anyone can master. We’ve seen it happen in real time! As experienced Rhode Island videographers, we've coached plenty of clients on how to feel confident for on-camera interviews and video presentations. So, we're ready to share our top tips with you on how to look good on camera.

Below, learn how to look natural on camera so that you can create marketing videos you're proud to share.

Know How to Pose For Video

Gestures that come naturally to us in real life don’t always translate well to the camera. So, watching your body language and practicing your posing can go a long way towards improving your on camera presence.

These are our go-to video posing tips to build confidence on camera with small adjustments.

Adopt a Confident Posture

When you’re nervous, it’s natural to shrink away from the camera or slouch, especially in an unfamiliar filming studio. But standing or sitting up straight doesn’t just look better on camera: It also helps with camera confidence. So, pay attention to your posture by keeping your head forward, shoulders back, and spine straight.

Warm up With a Confident Pose

Confidence just looks better on camera. To get in the right mindset, it might help to do a confident “superhero pose” for a few minutes prior to filming.

To do this exercise, stand up straight with your hands on your hips, hips shoulder’s width apart. Research has found that holding this pose for two minutes or more can boost feelings of power and dominance!

How To Look Good On Camera: Ease Tension

Anxiety makes your body tense, and tension can make you look awkward and unconfident. Before filming, it might help to do a grounding exercise. Imagine a wave slowly washing over your body from head to toe. Whenever you feel tension in one area of your body, like your shoulders, take a deep breath and release it.

After finishing this exercise, you should feel more relaxed, which can translate into a more natural look on camera!

Shift Your Weight

If you’re standing instead of sitting, a rigid posture can make you look stiff and awkward. Instead, shift one of your legs to the side or behind you. The asymmetry creates visual interest. Plus, posing with one leg behind the other can make you look thinner on camera by making your legs look longer.

Arms Away From Your Body

Keeping your hands balled up at your sides can look stiff and robotic, not to mention make your arms blend in with your torso. To create visual separation, bend your elbows and hold your arms slightly distant from your center, if you’re standing. If you’re sitting, you can use the chair’s armrests to create the separation.

But you don’t have to stay static: Don’t be afraid to move your hands around to emphasize your point! Gestures help you feel more natural on video and convey your points with clarity.

Know Your Angles

Ever notice how celebrities tend to favor one side of their face when posing for pictures? ‘Everyone’s face has a ‘good side,’ or a side that they think looks more flattering. To find your good side, grab your smartphone, and pretend the camera lens is a clock. Keeping the phone’s back camera level with your face, angle your head to align with each of the 12 numbers on the “clock” and snap a photo.

Compare all of your photos to find the angles you prefer. Then, you’ll know how to face the camera when filming videos!

Talking Is Essential To How To Look Good On Camera

Do you clam up when a camera comes out? Plenty of outgoing people don’t know how to translate their in-person charisma to video. But the right setup and a few tricks can help you bridge the gap.

Lastly, a teleprompter takes the pressure off so you can relax and just be yourself. Instead of stressing about what to say next, you can look right into the lens, speak confidently, and connect with your audience like you’re having a real conversation.

Don't Over-Rehearse

For interviews, you probably have a clear idea of the points you’d like to make. But sticking to a strict script can leave you sounding robotic.

Instead, practice projecting confidence and feeling relaxed on camera, not necessarily the exact wording of your replies. If you do a practice interview, use different questions from the actual event. When you’re relaxed and “in the zone,” you might even come up with answers you like more than your initial ideas!

Have An Interview Partner

While you might want to talk to the camera, head-on angles can look strange and unflattering, especially in interviews. Instead, ask someone off-camera to stand at a slight angle and ask you questions.

Talking to a real person can help you feel more relaxed and natural instead of staring at a dot or straight into the camera lens. That’s true even if you’re filming yourself with a smartphone, not in a recording studio.

Speaking Slowly Will Help You Look Good On Camera

It’s totally normal to talk quickly when you’re nervous. But going too fast can make you harder to understand or cause you to stumble over your words.

Instead, try to talk slightly slower than you normally would. Take a deep breath, settle yourself, and choose a cadence that’s a beat or two slower than your natural speech pattern. You’ll sound calmer and in control, and viewers will understand your message.

Practice To Boost Your Confidence

Remember that practice makes perfect! You may need to do an exercise more than once, or film several videos, to build your confidence and understand which tricks and techniques help you feel the most natural on video.

Find these video posing tips useful? Check out our videography blog to find more tips on your posing video, filming, and marketing your brand through video!