Master Your On-Screen Presence: Expert Tips to Shine

Before she became an MSx and alumni career coach at the Career Management Center at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Shibani Joshi spent a decade in front of the camera as a business reporter. Drawing on her on-air experience, she offers a few tips for improving your appearance on a small screen — or a larger-than-life projection.

Background Check

Choose your background carefully, Joshi says. Dark backgrounds can be depressing, while overly bright ones can be distracting. A bit of character is good, but ensure you don’t have plants behind your head or objects (like mirrors) that draw attention away from you. “I always recommend blurring your background as well so that the person on the other side isn’t getting too interested in what book titles you have on your shelf,” Joshi says.

Look Here

“Practice looking at the camera,” Joshi advises. This creates more engagement and mimics a one-on-one conversation. “When I’m looking at the monitor, there’s less connection, less eye contact, and more distance.” She stresses the importance of proper camera positioning, recommending that you take up three-quarters of the screen with only a few inches of headroom above you.

Let There Be Light

Good lighting can elevate your presence. Joshi advises using natural light or investing in a ring light. “Put your camera in front of that lighting. You don’t want any lighting behind you,” she says. This prevents silhouettes and shadows, ensuring you’re clearly visible. Joshi also advises adjusting the settings for low-light situations if necessary.

Energy Settings

If you’re using Zoom, open the settings to enhance your appearance. Select HD for a crisper image and apply subtle touch-up effects. You may have to tweak your own settings. “There’s a saying in TV that the TV steals 50% of your energy,” Joshi says. “The antidote to that is to smile more, give that much more in energy. That means always keep a warm smile or a warm expression on your face.”