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Apr 29, 2024 · On Valentine's Day 2023, he got a call from a couple in the British seaside town of Margate. "It's a lady on the phone who said, 'I think I've got a Banksy on my wall,'" Usher recalls. This piece ...
Jul 16, 2018 · Wallpaper Murals. Banksy’s Mobile Lovers appeared in Bristol, United Kingdom, in April 2014. It was created on a wall owned by Broad Plains Boys Club on Clement Street. The artwork depicts an embracing couple being hypnotised by their mobile phones. Photographs of the artwork were first uploaded to Banksy’s website, before it has been ...
- Robin Webster
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Turn on a light and put it in the right place
One of the easiest things you can do to improve the look of your video is to simply turn on any light you have handy and position it behind the camera shining on your face. That might mean moving a lamp, or moving your computer if all your available lights are in a fixed position, but it can make a dramatic difference. Check out these examples below, screen grabbed from my Microsoft Surface Book 2 (which actually has a pretty good built-in video camera, as far as built-in video cameras go). T...
Be aware of what’s behind you
It’s definitely too much to ask to set dress your surroundings for every video call you jump on, but it is worth taking a second to spot check what’s visible in the frame. Ideally, you can find a spot where the background is fairly minimal, with some organized decor visible. Close doors that are in frame, and try not to film in front of an uncovered window. And if you’re living in a pandemic-induced mess of clutter, just shovel the clutter until it’s out of frame.
Know your system sound settings
Get to know where the input volume settings are for your device and operating system. It’s not usually much of an issue, because most apps and systems set pretty sensible defaults, but if you’re also doing something unusual like sitting further away from your laptop to try to fit a second person in frame, then you might want to turn up the input audio slider to make sure anyone listening can actually hear what you have to say. It’s probably controllable directly in whatever app you’re using,...
Get an external webcam
The built-in webcam on most notebooks and all-in-ones isn’t going to be great, and you can almost always improve things by buying a dedicated webcam instead. Right now, it might be hard to find them in stock, since a lot of people have the same need for a boost in videoconferencing quality all at the same time. But if you can get your hands on even a budget upgrade option like the Logitech C922 Pro Stream 1080p webcamI used for the clip below, it should help with sharpness, low light performa...
Get a basic USB mic
Dedicated external mics are another way to quickly give your setup a big boost for relatively low cost. In the clip above, I used the popular Samson Meteor USB mic, which has built-in legs and dedicated volume/mute controls. This mic includes everything you need, and should work instantly when you plug it in via USB, and it produces great sound that’s ideal for vocals.
Get some headphones
Headphones of any kind will make your video calls and conferences better, since it minimizes the chance of echo from your mic picking up the audio from your own speakers. Big over ears models are good for sound quality, while earbuds make for less obvious headwear in your actual video image.
Use a dedicated camera and an HDMI-to-USB interface
If you already have a standalone camera, including just about any consumer pocket camera with HDMI out capabilities, then it’s worth looking into picking up an HDMI-to-USB video capture interface in order to convert it into a much higher quality webcam. In the clip below I’m using the Sony RX100 VII, which is definitely at the high end of the consumer pocket camera market, but there are a range of options that should give you nearly the same level of quality, including the older RX100 models...
Get a wired lav mic
A simple wired lavalier (lav) microphone is a great way to upgrade your audio game, and it doesn’t even need to cost that much. You can get a wired lav that performs decently well for as little as $20 on Amazon, and you can use a USB version for connecting directly to your computer even if you don’t have a 3.5mm input port. Rode’s Lavalier GOis a great mid-range option that also works well with the Wireless GO transmitter and receiver kit I mention in the next section. The main limitation of...
Get multiple lights and position them effectively
Lighting is a rabbit hole that ends up going very deep, but getting a couple of lights that you can move to where you need them most is a good, inexpensive way to get started. Amazon offers a wide range of lighting kits that fit the bill, or you can even do pretty well with just a couple of Philips Hue lights in gooseneck lamps positioned correctly and adjusted to the right temperature and brightness.
Use an interchangeable lens camera and a fast lens
The next step up from a decent compact camera is one that features interchangeable lenses. This allows you to add a nice, fast prime lens with a high maximum aperture (aka a low ‘f’ number’) to get that defocused background look. This provides natural-looking separation of you, the subject, from whatever is behind you, and provides a cinematic feel that will wow colleagues in your monthly all-hands.
Get a wireless lav mic
A lav mic is great, but a wireless lav mic is even better. It means you don’t need to worry about hitting the end of your cable, or getting it tangled in other cables in your workspace, and it can provide more flexibility in terms of what audio interfaces you use to actually get your sound into the computer, too. A great option here is theRODE Wireless GO, which can work on its own or in tandem with a mic like the RODE Lavalier GO for great, flexible sound.
Use in-ear monitors
You still want to be using headphones at this stage, but the best kind to use really are in-ear monitors that do their best to disappear out of sight. You can get some dedicated broadcast-style monitors like those Shure makes, or you can spring for a really good pair of Bluetooth headphones with low latency and the latest version of Bluetooth. Apple’s AirPods Pro is a great option, as are the Bang & Olfusen E8 fully wireless earbuds, which I’ve used extensively without any noticeable lag.
Get an HDMI broadcast switcher deck
HDMI-USB capture devices do a fine job turning most cameras into webcams, but if you really want to give yourself a range of options, you can upgrade to a broadcast switching interface like the Blackmagic ATEM Mini. Released last year, the ATEM Mini packs in a lot of features that previously were basically only available to video pros, and provides them in an easy-to-use form factor with a price that’s actually astounding given how much this thing can really do. On its own paired with a good...
Use a broadcast-quality shotgun mic
The ATEM Mini has two dedicated audio inputs that really give you a lot of flexibility on that front, too. Attaching one to the output on an iPod touch, for instance, could let you use that device as a handy soundboard for cueing up intro and title music, plus sound effects. And this also means you can route sound from a high-quality mic, provided you have the right interface. For top level streaming quality, with minimal sacrifices required in terms of video, I recommend going to a good, bro...
Add accent lighting
You’ve got your 3-point lighting – but as I said, lighting is a nearly endless rabbit hole. Accent lighting can really help push the professionalism of your video even further, and it’s also pretty easy and to set up using readily available equipment. Philips Hue is probably my favorite way to add a little more vitality to any scene, and if you’re already a Hue user you can make do with just about any of their color bulbs. Recent releases from Philips like the Hue Play Smart LED Light Barsare...
Apr 21, 2020 · Zoom uses 1.2 Mbps (megabits per second), both upload (from you to the Internet) and download (from the Internet to you), for a group video call, and 1.5 Mbps both ways if you want to see all the ...
Dec 21, 2020 · Close that window if you're on a noisy street and flip on a light. PCMag's lead camera analyst Jim Fisher stresses that “Soft fill on your face is all that matters.”. Using a desk lamp with a ...
- Editor, Help & How To
Setting up conference calls is pretty easy. Just follow these simple steps: 1. Subscribe to a service that provides audio conferencing or conference calls. Once you've done that, you can log in and go to the conference call feature in your account. RingCentral phone system plans include a free conference call feature.
People also ask
Did Usher get a 'Banksy on my wall' on Valentine's Day 2023?
Where did Banksy's mobile lovers come from?
Where is Banksy's artwork now?
How do I prepare for a video conference call?
May 6, 2024 · When you are on a call, you can add someone else to your conversation. 1. Do one of these actions: Desk phones—From an active call, press Conference . Conference phone—From an active call, press Conference . 2. Enter the phone number for the party you want to add and press Call. 3.
