JS Tip 587: Make the Best of Zoom, Part I

So. 

We’re working from home. We haven’t been to the office in months. (The office is now covered with dust and rain blows through the broken windows.)  

We’re living on Zoom. Meetings. Conferences. Workshops. All on Zoom. 

Make the best of it. 

  • Practice until you’re comfortable. The personal Zoom account is free and lets you record yourself. Familiarize yourself with the program. Practice. Over and over. It’ll be awkward at first (“Do I really look like that?”), but you’ll get better each time.

  • Consider the lighting. Your face is most important; everything else is secondary. Natural light works well, but changes with the weather.

    Try a key light (a brighter light at a forty-five degree angle) and a fill light (a lesser light forty-five degrees on the other side). Play with this. Practice with dimmers. Go for the “Goldilocks Principle”: Not too bright. Not too dim. Just right.

  • Consider the sound. Too many Zoom presentations sound like they’re recorded in a fifty-five gallon drum. Use a good microphone (some computers have good mics, some don’t). If you use a separate mic, place it four to six inches from your mouth. (Many folks use headsets.)

  • Benchmark what you’re doing. Watch the news programs. Critique the Zoom interviews (“Great lighting. Good background. Horrible sound.”)

We’re grateful to our friend Ken Weaver for help with this discussion. Ken: Thank you. 

Next week: Zoom, Part II: Angles. Backgrounds. Cautions.  

We love this stuff.

Kurt Weiland