Loving the Close-Up: getting cozy with the computer cam

In this photo of the extraordinary actor/writer/director, Priyanka Shetty, notice her eyes. Notice her warmth, her depth, her open connection with…the camera? No! Priyanka is looking, it seems, right into our own eyes. Of course, in reality, she is looking into a cylindrical piece of glass. There is a skill to creating that intimacy—to remembering that though we see a piece of machinery, our audience will feel that we see them.

Virtual communication offers us the chance to get cosy, create a sense of intimacy and connection with others. Think of a great actor in a film close-up. We see every emotion, every thought, we sense their humanity and feel their presence. We feel close to them.

In virtual meetings, we rarely take advantage of this ripe opportunity. Rather, we tend to mimic an in-person event kind of badly, pretending we’re all sitting around a conference table—we keep that false sense of distance.

Instead of thinking of the camera as a poor substitute for in-person meetings, capitalize on the fabulous opening as if we are movie stars!

Next time we have an online meeting or presentation, allow ourselves to shift our distance towards and then away from the camera. Play with it! Our voice will naturally respond to the distance, being quieter up close and louder as we move away. Not only will our online communication be more dynamic and varied, it will create a sense of being together and connected.