Video conferencing platform Zoom has become a daily work tool for many in the days of booming hybrid workplaces. It helps people convene for meetings at any time and place, including their homes, cars, or favorite picnic spots. What has also become a feature of these meetings is the expansion of Zoom virtual backgrounds as memorable canvases that give character to our place and face during even the dullest of meetings.
In the following article, we will help you create the best Zoom virtual backgrounds and stand out among your superiors and colleagues at every meeting.
Getting the Most Out of Your Surroundings
Meetings can be made more fun and engaging, no matter how dull your physical surroundings are. The best practice to achieve this is to prepare your Zoom background in advance. For starters, try using a solid color backdrop with high contrast, with a preference for green screens. Also, you should also try to stick with a matte background that does not reflect light.
In order to have the background “hug” you properly, make sure you avoid wearing the same colors as your virtual background. Also, the camera you use for a meeting should be allowed to record without visual obstacles in its sight and checked for any smudges in advance. Bear in mind that quality cameras will offer sharper Zoom backgrounds and external webcams are the best option for this purpose. The Zoom company itself recommends the use of backgrounds with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a minimum resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.
Also read: Top Tech Innovations Make Remote Working Models Easy
Set Those Lights and Letters Right
Do not forget the lighting as well, as only evenly distributed coverage will allow your background to appear in the best light (literally), without the spots of brightness or dim patches. Windows are really an eyesore for any background so try to stay away from them and account for the movement of the sun during the prolonged meetings. You will also get the most out of your background if you put a lamp in front of you or get some quality LED source of light.
It goes without saying that your custom Zoom background will benefit from the images in the highest resolution possible. Also, if you leave the “Mirror my video” option checked, words in your virtual background will appear back to you but will be shown as normal to the other participants.
Mind the Color
It may sound funny, but designing the best virtual Zoom background will require you to take a deep and hard look at your reflection in the mirror. No, it does not mean that you should have a background adorned with your mirror image, but that the color of your hair may play an important role in your final appearance.
Now, if you are graced with lighter hair, a similarly lightly lit room will visually “glue” you to your Zoom background. In other words, you will merge with it, for better or worse. The same happens if you have darker hair and are facing a dark wall or sitting in a black chair.
A solution is to try to put on a piece of clothing that is darker or lighter than the Zoom background you want to use. In this manner, you and your virtual background will appear as two separate visual objects which is what you want to achieve.
Wrap-up
Getting the most out of your Zoom background is not as easy as it seems, as evidenced by the tips we provided above. Their choice can speak a lot about your character and the desire to stick out among the rest of the cookie-cutter backgrounds. If applied correctly, these tips will make you more memorable and visible during meetings and that’s not so small a victory for a business day.
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