A few months ago, we started creating videos over at 
Before starting this venture, I knew that it would be extremely difficult for me. I knew I'd stutter when speaking, I knew I would talk painfully slow at times, and I knew that I'd struggle with my on-camera presence.
Now that we've been doing this a while and have made 99 videos, I've become more articulate, I've gotten a little better at not having RBF, and become better at conveying my message. I still have a long way to go in those areas but as an awkward introvert, I feel like I've made some improvements in these skills.
One thing I still really struggle with is my camera presence. I look awkward, I make weird facial movements, my eyes wander, and I do weird stuff with my hands. I really hate this part of our videos, so I decided to do some research on what I can do to look more natural on camera. In case anyone else has an interest in this topic, I'll share with you some things that I found.
If you want to see how things started, below is the first video we ever filmed.
How to look more natural on camera
Posture
This one is pretty simple. Shoulders back and chin up. If you're slumped over and looking down, you aren't going to come across as an expert no matter how smart you are. Try to remain in a good posture throughout the video and people will be more likely to want to listen to what you have to say. Posture leads to the next thing on the list.
Eye contact
Eye contact? But I'm talking to a camera, I can't make eye contact with a camera.
True, but the people watching it will be looking at you. If you're not looking right back at them, they're going to have a harder time trusting you.
It's difficult to trust someone who doesn't make eye contact, so you need to make sure you're looking directly into the camera lens. That way, your viewers will see you looking straight at them.
Earlier, in this post was the first video we ever filmed. Here's our most recent video to compare my on-camera abilities. I still have a long way to go but I'm going to be using these things I've learned to try to improve.
Smile
When someone sees someone else smile, it immediately puts them in a better mood. People like to be around happy people and your audience will probably enjoy watching your videos more if you look happy in them.
Before you turn on the camera, do something that puts you in a great mood. For me, that's often stand-up comedy. For Maddie, it's usually listening to music.
I notice my on-camera presence is drastically better when I go into making a video very happy. People can tell a fake smile from a real smile, so don't try to force a smile. Go into a video genuinely happy and you'll find yourself smiling a lot more.
Film in segments
Don't try to film a 5-minute video all at once, shoot it in 10-20 second intervals. This will allow you to gather your thoughts on each small section and deliver them more concisely. Don't read from a teleprompter or notes, just speak naturally into the camera.
Talk to a friend
How would you talk to a friend of yours? That's how you should speak to the camera. Picture the camera lens being your best friend. If you have to, tape a photo of them near the lens so that you remember you're just chatting with a friend.
Speaking to a camera is a really strange feeling if you haven't done it much. Pretending to talk to a friend can help you get over the fact that you're chatting with an inanimate object.
Have you struggled with similar issues? If so, what helped you overcome them?