Resolution stopped being the limit.

What is behind you, and how much light reaches the sensor, still are. Neither is fixed by buying a bigger number.

The frame, and where you sit in it.

THE DETAIL

A camera sees a narrow wedge and nothing outside it, so the only two decisions are what goes inside and where your head sits within it. Eyes on the upper third, a hand of space above your head, and lens at eye height rather than pointing up from the desk. That last one is the difference between looking present and looking like a hostage video.

01THE HEADROOMA hand, not a hallway
02THE EYE LINEOn the upper third, always
03THE WEDGENarrower than you think

What we are writing.

5 PIECES · IN THE WORKSHOP

Five pieces about a wedge of room that a few thousand people are going to look at.

How to frame yourself on camera

Thirds, headroom and lens height, in five minutes.

★☆☆ · 5 MIN

Webcam, phone or real camera

The honest comparison at three budgets, including doing nothing.

★★☆ · 7 MIN

How to fix the wall behind you

Depth, separation and one lamp — the cheapest possible upgrade.

★☆☆ · 5 MIN

When a capture card is actually worth it

Single machine versus two, and what each setup costs you.

★★☆ · 7 MIN

How to stop a camera hunting for focus

Why autofocus breathes, and the setting that stops it.

★★☆ · 5 MIN

A camera on a tripod seen from behind, its articulated screen flipped out and dark.

The camera sees a narrow wedge. Everything else is your business.
SLOT 08 · STREAMING · WHAT THE LENS SEES

A desk corner at night: a camera, a capture device, a coil of cable and a lens cloth.

FROM THE CURATOR

Raise it to eye height

A camera sitting on the desk looking up at you is the single most common streaming setup and the single easiest thing to improve. Put it on top of the monitor, or on a small tripod on a stack of books, so the lens is level with your eyes. It costs nothing, takes two minutes, and does more for how you come across than any camera upgrade at any price.

BY POPPY — CLASS: CURATOR · THEPINKPIPER.GG

THE REST OF THIS STATION

Lighting WHAT THE LIGHT THROWS →Audio for Streaming WHAT THE MIC HEARS →

BACK TO STREAMING →

You are here.

SLOT 08 / 08 · STREAMING

Every station in this room has its own chapter. This one is 08. Back to the room to walk to another.