This is especially true if your room is generally dark. It can really improve how your face looks! There’s also another big benefit to adding some white behind you before activating your virtual background. (Now, if you want Zoom to give you a digital haircut, go right ahead!)īrighter Backgrounds will Help You Light your Face Otherwise, Zoom will digitally crop the edges of your hair with that black line circling your head. That’s because the virtual background will appear to show through the mess of your hair. Then, when you activate your virtual background, the white screen also disappears, and it does wonders to reduce that horrible black ‘helmet outline’ that often surrounds your head.Īnd if your virtual background displays lots of white or brightness behind your out-of-control hair, the overall key around your head will look much more realistic. It doesn’t have to cover your whole background. It can be with a white screen, curtain or even a big piece of white paper. My trick is to place some ‘white’ behind your head and shoulders. So that really wouldn’t work…īut I’ve figured something else out that does… Even if I could somehow jam one in, I wouldn’t be able to move around anymore. I can’t cover my entire background with a green screen, because there simply isn’t enough room based on the configuration of my home office. It’s a relatively wide field of view, and you will see much more of my home office than I’d prefer. But I just can’t let that sloppy look go without attempting to fix it.īut, the challenge I face when trying to improve my own virtual background starts with the basic shot my iMac’s webcam creates. Maybe some people don’t care how ‘solid’ they appear with their virtual background. It works, but often with the edges of your head and body shimmering like an apparition. The other option is to let Zoom figure it out without the benefit of a solid color.
Then, Zoom will create a beautiful chroma-keyed background using the green. The holy-grail solution to generating a great virtual background is to place a green screen behind you that spans your entire background. I think this speaks to what we’re all currently grappling with… how to traverse this new reality when the plan to continue to lock yourself up at home isn’t realistic anymore.įor now though, I’m relying on my hair gel as well as a cool video trick I’ve discovered to improve my Zoom videos when using virtual backgrounds. I certainly can’t wait two years until there’s a vaccine! I’m spotting lots of folks now with new haircuts. But I know it’s not sustainable for any long-term plan. Yes, I must admit I’ve started using hair gel to try to tame my mad scientist look. Now, after months of COVID-19 seclusion, my Zoom video shots look like a time portal back into ‘70s. Have you gotten a haircut yet? I haven’t. Here’s a way to upgrade your look in this digital arena. Pro tip: if you don't have a green screen then try to find a place with as simple background as possible - a white wall usually does the trick.Using a virtual background with Zoom can be hard to get right. And tick the "I have a green screen" checkbox. In the "Choose Virtual Background" block, click the + sign to add your background.
To use set up your Star Wars Zoom background all you have to do is…Īfter starting or joining a meeting, see the lower left corner and click on the up arrow next to the video sign.Ĭlick "Choose Virtual Background." from the menu. I divided up the Zoom backgrounds by trilogies, and added in a few extra for the Star Wars Story movies and The Mandalorian series. Basically whichever picture you fell in love with, you’ll find the iconic places that’ll make you the coolest nerd in the call. I’m trying to cover a lot of grounds, so bear with me. So allow me to present you with this bouquet of Star Wars Zoom backgrounds as one Star Wars fan to another. What better way is there, than adding a Star Wars cantina background? By the way we all know, that Han shot first. You may be forced into remote work right now, you may choose the remote option yourself, or you might just want to spice up your social calls. Showing and sharing that love in Zoom calls is a must. In simple terms: I’ve been in love with Star Wars for as long as I can remember. I wanted to explore the world like Luke Skywalker, be as cool as Han Solo, and as wise as Yoda. Join your video meetings from the coolest places of a galaxy far, far away, like the Millenium Falcon, the Deathstar, Tatooine, Hoth, and more!Īs a kid I dreamed of getting into dogfights with an X-wing, hanging out in space cantinas, and studying in the Jedi temple.