How To Look Natural On Camera: 5 Body Language Fixes

ou can say all the right words on camera and still not look natural whilst you’re saying them.

The reason is that your body language can be telling a whole different story, and the viewer picks up on it, often in the first few seconds. They’re probably not sure why. Something just feels a bit off.

I’m a presentation skills coach, and I’ve spent most of my adult life in front of audiences, on camera, on stage and in training rooms. Here’s what I’ve learnt: looking natural has very little to do with looking relaxed. It’s about not letting your nerves leak through into your body language.

Here are five places those leaks happen, and what to do about each one.

1. Your shoulders

When you’re nervous, your shoulders tighten and can creep up towards your ears. You might not notice, but the camera does. It accentuates it, you look tense on screen, and your voice tightens too.

The fix: just before you record, lift your shoulders up really high, tighten them, hold for a second or two, then let them drop. Then take a slow, deep breath, hold it for a few seconds (whatever feels comfortable), and let it out.

2. Your base

Are you swaying? Rocking? Leaning back, or drifting in and out of the shot? Movement like that tells your audience you’re more nervous than you’re saying.

The fix: build a solid base. If you’re sitting, put both feet flat on the floor and sit tall, with your weight a little further forward than you normally would. If you’re standing, keep both feet on the ground, about hip width apart. When your base is steady, everything above it settles too.

I learnt this over many years on stage. With a mic in your hand and a room watching, you find out very quickly where your body wants to fidget. Talking to a camera is exactly the same.

3. Your hands

Whether they’re on screen or not, what you do with your hands gives away how you feel. Hiding them or flapping them around with no purpose both say something.

The fix: let your hands rest, and let them move when you have something to say. Think of them as helping you. Use a gentle gesture around chest height when you want to emphasise a point, share an idea or show size. If it doesn’t feel right for you, keep them out of shot.

4. Your face

When people get nervous, the face goes still. The eyebrows stop moving, the smile disappears, and you end up with what I call the hostage look. It isn’t welcoming or inviting.

The fix: wake up your face before you start. Smile for a moment, make it look silly, stretch that smile, raise your eyebrows and relax them. Then let your expression move with what you’re saying. If it’s exciting, be excited. If it’s serious, let your face do what it does when you’re serious.

5. Your eyes

Many people stare at their own image on screen. To the viewer, it looks as if you’re looking off to the side, not at them.

The fix: look into the lens. It will feel strange at first, because there’s nobody there. So picture someone on the other side, a friendly person or a client, and talk to them one to one. That connection comes across, whether you’re recording or going live.

One more thing

Your body and your voice should always be in sync, each supporting the other. When you feel confident, your body looks confident and the words you say sound confident too.

You don’t have to be perfect every time. You just need to stop the nerves leaking out through your body language.

Watch the video and get the free cheat sheet

If you’d like some help with this, I’ve created a free one-page cheat sheet called Speak With Confidence When You’re On Camera. It’s simple and practical, and built for video, presentations and meetings. Print it, keep it by your screen or on your desk, and run through it before your next call or recording.