Most people look worse on video calls than they do in person. The good news: fixing it takes about five minutes with things you already own. You don't need a ring light, a professional backdrop, or a makeup artist. You need to understand how your camera, your lighting, and your positioning work together.
Whether it's a quick one-on-one call or a team meeting, here's how to look good on a video call using adjustments anyone can make right now.
Lighting: The Single Biggest Factor
Lighting makes more difference than any other variable. A well-lit face on a cheap webcam looks better than a poorly lit face on an expensive camera. The rule is simple: light should hit your face from the front, not from behind or above.
Best option: a window in front of you. Sit facing a window during daytime calls. The natural light is soft, even, and flattering. Keep the window slightly to one side (about 45 degrees) if you want a bit of depth to your face rather than completely flat lighting.
No window? Use a desk lamp. Place a lamp behind your monitor or laptop, angled toward your face. A lamp with a white shade or a warm LED bulb works well. Avoid bare bulbs, which create harsh shadows.
What to avoid:
- Overhead-only lighting. Ceiling lights cast shadows under your eyes and nose. They make everyone look tired. If your ceiling light is your only source, add a front-facing lamp to balance it out.
- A window behind you. Your camera adjusts exposure for the brightest part of the frame. With a bright window behind you, your face becomes a dark silhouette. Close the blinds or move to face the other direction.
- Mixed color temperatures. A warm desk lamp plus a cool overhead fluorescent creates an unnatural look. Try to use one type of light source, or at least keep them all the same color temperature.
The ring light question: A ring light is helpful if your room has poor natural light or you take multiple video calls daily. For most people, a window or desk lamp is enough. If you do buy one, get a 10-inch model with adjustable brightness and color temperature. Place it directly behind your monitor.
Camera Angle: Eye Level Changes Everything
The default laptop position (on a desk, screen tilted back) points the camera up at your chin and nostrils. This is unflattering for everyone.
The fix: Raise your laptop so the camera is at eye level. Stack books, a box, or a laptop stand under it. When the camera is at eye level, your face looks natural and proportional.
If you use an external webcam, mount it on top of your monitor, centered. Avoid placing it off to the side, which makes it look like you're always glancing away from the person you're talking to.
Distance matters too. Sit roughly an arm's length from the camera. Too close (just your face filling the frame) feels intense. Too far (your entire torso and the room behind you) feels distant. Frame yourself from mid-chest up, with a little headroom above.
If you're preparing for something high-stakes like a video interview, test your framing with a friend beforehand. What looks fine to you might look off to the person on the other end.
Background: Keep It Clean and Simple
Your background tells the viewer something about you whether you want it to or not. A cluttered room, an unmade bed, or a pile of laundry behind you is distracting.
Best backgrounds:
- A plain wall (any neutral color)
- A tidy bookshelf (looks professional without being sterile)
- A simple room with minimal decor
What to avoid:
- Open doorways where people walk past
- Mirrors (they reflect your screen and cause visual distractions)
- Bright posters or artwork with lots of detail (draws the eye away from your face)
Virtual backgrounds: These work well on newer computers with good processors. On older hardware, they glitch around your hair and hands, which looks worse than a real background. Test yours before an important call. If parts of you disappear or flicker, turn it off and find a clean real background instead.
For business or client calls, keep the background professional but not overly staged. A real room that's tidy beats a fake corporate backdrop.
What to Wear on Camera
Camera sensors process colors differently than your eyes do. Some clothing looks great in person but distracting on screen.
Colors that work well:
- Solid blues, greens, burgundy, and muted earth tones
- Soft pastels (light blue, sage green)
- Medium grays and navy
Colors to avoid:
- Bright white. It glows on camera and can mess with your webcam's auto-exposure, making your face look darker.
- Pure black. On lower-quality webcams, black clothing loses all detail and you become a floating head.
- Thin stripes and small patterns. These create a visual flicker called a moire effect. It's subtle but distracting.
- Bright neon colors. They can reflect onto your skin and look unnatural.
The safest choice for any professional video call is a solid-colored top in a muted tone. It keeps the focus on your face, which is where it should be.
Quick Fixes Before a Call Starts
You have two minutes before a call. Here's your speed checklist:
- Check your preview. Every video platform shows a self-view before you join. Look at it. Actually look at it. Is the lighting okay? Can you see your face clearly? Is your background clean?
- Wipe your camera lens. Laptop webcam lenses collect fingerprints and dust. A quick wipe with your shirt sleeve can noticeably improve clarity.
- Adjust your chair height. Your eyes should be level with the camera. If the camera is above you, raise your chair. If it's below, lower it (or raise the camera).
- Close background tabs. Notification popups and pings are distracting if you're sharing your screen or if they make sounds.
- Check what's visible behind you. Look at your camera preview and scan the background. Move anything you don't want seen.
These five things take less than two minutes and make a noticeable difference. For a deeper checklist, including tech setup and audio testing, see our guide on preparing for video interviews. And if you want the full breakdown of video interview tips, we cover that too.
Start a video call and test your setup
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Start CallReady to put these tips to work? Start a free video call and see how you look before your next important conversation.