5 Camera tips for your webinar

On our YouTube channel, we’ve shared various tips for setting up your webinar camera. In this blog post, we will look at five tips to improve your webinar camera setup.

1. The rule of thirds

The first tip is the rule of thirds, a guideline used in visual arts like design, film, and video. It involves dividing your composition into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines.

To illustrate, Walter has kindly agreed to be our model. Here, you see nine squares with four dots at the intersections. These lines serve as guides for positioning your subject.

By placing Walter's eyes on the upper line and in the center, you ensure there is enough space above his head without zooming in too much. This technique creates a visually appealing and relaxed camera shot, free from awkward angles.

2. Framing

Framing refers to how large your subject appears relative to the background. Experiment with camera positions to try different perspectives like bird’s-eye or worm’s-eye views.

• Bird’s-eye view: The camera looks down from a high angle.

• Worm’s-eye view: The camera looks up from a low angle.

Also, consider how far the camera is zoomed in to create various shots:

• Wide shot

• Medium shot

• Close-up

• Extreme wide shot

• Medium close-up

• Detail shot

• Portrait

For conveying intimate or emotional content, a close-up is ideal, while professional presentations benefit from a wider shot showing more of the body to convey authority.

3. Camera settings

Setting up your camera becomes easy once you are familiar with the three main adjustments: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

• ISO: Stands for International Standardization Organization, indicating light sensitivity. A higher ISO increases sensitivity and captures more light, but when set too high an ISO can lead to grainy images.

• Aperture: Similar to the iris of the human eye, the aperture controls light intake. A wider aperture captures more light, while a narrower one captures less.

  

• Shutter speed: Also known as exposure time, it determines how long the camera sensor is exposed to light. Longer exposure times capture more light, which is useful for creative effects like light painting.

4. Sunlight

Sunlight can both enhance and hinder your recording. When used correctly, it can produce beautiful, cinematic effects. However, it can also cause issues like overexposure or silhouette effects. To manage sunlight effectively:

• Avoid direct sunlight if possible.

• Use window coverings to regulate indoor light.

5. Software

Use software tools like OBS to improve your camera performance. OBS allows easy adjustments to ISO, aperture, and other settings, and lets you resize your camera feed.

For those less technically inclined, the software offers a user-friendly solution to optimize your setup.

For a deeper understanding of using OBS, check out our videos on the topic.

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