One of our clients asked what he called a “million-dollar question”…

He asked, “I feel very shy in front of a camera. How can I improve? Any tips?”

Here was my response:

“Here’s what I do, try this…

“Humans naturally relax and light up when they talk to other humans they know. So before you sit down in front of the camera, visualize the face of someone who relaxes you. Imagine them standing next to you. Talk to them (silently of course — otherwise other people in the room will think you’re crazy).

“Then sit down in front of the camera, and pause for a moment to make sure their image is still in your head. Imagine them sitting on the other side of the camera, right above the camera lens. Then talk to them, not the camera lens.

“Whatever is going on in your head will drive your facial expressions more than the outside environment. So your inner mental game and visualization skills are where to look for answers to the “camera shy” question.”

Related to inner mental game and visualization: https://recipientlabs.com/feel-sense-describe-dont-just-tell/.