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3 Tricks for Video Calls That Connect (Easy Setup for Seniors)

Raise your camera to eye level, face the light, and look at the lens. Three simple tricks that make video calls with family feel close and natural.

What you'll learn

Raise the camera. One. Set the camera at eye level. Stack the laptop or tablet on a few books so the lens looks straight at you, not up your chin. It feels like you're sitting across the table instead of looking down at the floor.
Face the light. Two. Put the light in front of you, never behind. Face a window or a lamp so it lights your face. If a window is at your back, you turn into a dark shape they can barely see.
Look at the lens. Three. Glance at the little camera dot, not the screen, when you talk. To the grandkids it looks like real eye contact. Do it just now and then, and the whole call feels warmer.

Full transcript

One, set the camera at eye level, stack the laptop or tablet on a few books so the lens looks straight at you, not up your chin. It feels like you're sitting across the table instead of looking down at the floor. Two, put the light in front of you, never behind. Face a window or a lamp so it lights your face. If a window is at your back, you turn into a dark shape they can barely see. Three, glance at the little camera dot, not the screen when you talk. To the grandkids it looks like real eye contact. Do it just now and then, and the whole call feels warmer.

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