Ladies...How to stop hating and start loving cameras, video calls & anything recorded
Many of us women consider ourselves a confident and commanding presence in the workplace but something happens to us as soon as a camera is pointed in our direction.
Do any of these responses sound familiar?
-Your confidence dries up
-You become a rabbit in the headlights
-Your personality disappears
-You go all formal and polite
-You start to overthink and worry about everything
-You become wooden.
It’s like the camera is a torch being shone on us and exposing all our flaws. Even Skype calls can bring some of us out in a sweaty mess!
You are not alone, the majority of us feel that way when a camera is thrust in our faces. Those who don’t feel the fear is because of one thing and one thing alone, practice.
Luckily it’s never been easier to be camera ready as we have the luxury of our own mini TV studios within our phones. Channel your inner millennial and fill up your camera roll with footage of yourself practising talking in front of a camera. In the comfort of your own home, you can record, watch back, cringe, cringe some more, delete and try again.
Esther Stanhope has over 20 years of broadcasting experience, mainly helping talent become BRILLIANT on air. She currently runs 1 on 1 impact sessions for professionals helping them gain ‘confidence in front of cameras’ and has 5 tips to get you ‘camera ready’.
1-Talk to your camera as it was your perfect client. Imagine the camera is really interested in what you’re saying, responsive to your suggestions and is your own personal cheerleader!
2-Be yourself. Somewhat counter-intuitively, it is much better to speak from the heart, perhaps by telling a story, than remember a perfectly written script.
3-Use humour. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be happy and find the fun in it all.
4-Smile. Smiling on camera makes you look relaxed instantly and prevents you from looking wooden.
5-Look as good as you feel. From wearing red lippy or dazzling in a fabulous new jacket, do whatever it takes to help you feel the part.
So now’s your chance - get your phones out so that you can practise, practise, practise and remember to follow Esther’s Tips. Soon you’ll be camera angst free and maybe even looking forward to watching your footage back!