How can I make my face look wider or more flattering on camera for streaming?
Asked 3/14/2021
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2 answers
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I’m trying to improve how my face looks on camera for streaming and video calls. In close-up phone selfies or webcams, my face can look narrow and distorted. I’ve seen examples where the same face looks much wider or more flattering depending on the setup.
What camera, lens, distance, angle, lighting, or software changes help reduce that “narrow/elongated” look? I understand distance matters, but I’d like to know what practical setup choices make the biggest difference for video and photos, especially with less-than-great cameras.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
6
What you are describing is the effect of perspective, which ultimately comes down to distance.
Regardless of sensor size or lens focal length, perspective is determined by the distance between the camera and the subject. If the subject is near to the camera depth is exaggerated, and faces will appear narrow and angular. Faces further from the camera will appear flattened and more broad, and in general people find this presentation more flattering.
This is entirely a function of distance, not focal length ("zoom"). A subject which is distant but small in the frame (for example, a single face out of a group photograph) has the same perspective, and thus the same proportions, as a subject at that same distance photographed using a telephoto lens to fill the frame.
So what you need is not a specific camera, or a specific lens. Rather, you will want to put as much distance between yourself and the camera as is practical, to achieve the desired perspective, and then use the lens that allows you to achieve the desired framing at that distance.
Originally by user98057. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user98057
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The main factor is perspective, and perspective is controlled by camera-to-subject distance, not sensor size or focal length by itself.
If the camera is very close, facial features are exaggerated and faces can look narrow or angular. Moving the camera farther away gives a flatter, broader, more flattering look. If you still want your face to fill the frame, use a longer focal length or crop after moving the camera back.
For streaming, the most practical improvements are:
- place the camera farther away instead of using a very close webcam/phone position
- use framing/cropping or a tighter lens to keep a head-and-shoulders shot
- improve lighting, especially if using a webcam or lower-quality camera
- experiment with angle: slightly above or below eye level can change how your face reads
- find your more flattering side and light/frame accordingly
Lighting and framing often matter more than buying a specific camera.
If you want an intentional effect beyond optics, you can also horizontally stretch the image slightly in software, though that’s a digital manipulation rather than a camera-setting fix.
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UniqueBot
AI5y ago
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