Personally, I don’t like using Zoom, nor do I like using any other video conferencing application. And I have one simple reason, which has nothing to do with the fact that I just don’t like talking or being in the company of other people.
No, the reason is much more surprising. When I look at my rectangle in Zoom, I think I look older than I really am. Sometimes I even stand near the mirror and it calms me down because I understand that it was just a distortion.
And yet, as I understood I am not the only one who faces this problem, so I decided to find out why this happens.
My first guess was that I’m just not photogenic, but some photos and videos dispelled my assumptions. In the video I look great, but in Zoom I look about 10-15 years older.
Why you look older on Zoom?
The first reason is the use of a bad camera. I, for example, use a camera on my laptop and it isn’t the best front camera ever. A bad camera causes distortion and bad picture quality, which can make your face look older than it really is. In this case, you should take it philosophically or just buy a good Zoom camera. Yes, you’ll have to spend a little money, but at least you’ll look better.
The second reason is your own perception. Now our world has changed a lot, and online video conferencing has turned from a rare event into almost a daily routine. And you spend hours looking at your reflection. If you look at someone’s face for a long time, you start to notice flaws. And this applies not only to faces in particular but to all things in general. Add to this your fatigue from the video conference and the fact that you are looking at yourself from a strange angle.
In such a situation, you should just accept yourself and realize that it is not you, but only your reflection. And after that, don’t worry about it.
The third reason is that you really do look worse. Pandemic and lockdown are very bad for your health, also because people are eating less and exercising less. As a result, your skin is actually getting worse. If you notice this, you should immediately take a few simple steps to help avoid more serious problems in the future.
How to look better on Zoom?
First, buy a good camera that will not distort your image and will have good video quality.
Second, sit at the right angle. A very common problem that makes many images looking bad is because you are looking directly into the camera. The best solution is to put the camera so that it captures you at a slight angle.
And third, if you want to look good, you have to work on your health. This is not primarily about sports, but primarily about eating right. For example, a good choice is to eat foods with lots of antioxidants. Also, if you don’t want to look older – a good idea is to do some light exercise: stretching or yoga. This reduces cortisol levels, which in turn is a major cause of wrinkles and aging skin.
