Local Video Recording:  Smartphones or iPads / tablets are usually good enough quality, as long as the room isn't too dark.

• If filming from a smartphone, best make sure it's in Airplane mode, to avoid network interference with the microphone.

• Filming settings (these are often already the default on the smartphones):16:9 ratio; 1080p resolution; 25 to 30 fps (frames per second)

• Please see if you can check there's enough memory card space to record for ideally 1hr

• And full battery charge

Tripod / Devices Positioning: A means of positioning your camera next to the device running the Zoom sessionn (e.g. laptop).

• Line of eyesight: Positioning such that, as you are looking at my image on Zoom, you are looking just very slightly to the side of the lens of the camera.

  • Vertical position: Please position the lens at the same height of your eyes, so that you are not looking down into the lens.

• The photo here above shows my setup when wanting to use the higher definition back lens (if you have someone to help you position the frame of the phone when you sit down).

• Smartphone: It is also just as good to use the selfie front camera on your smartphone, so you can see yourself to adjust your position in the frame.

  • Please be sure to have the smartphone in landscape orientation.

• You can also prop the smartphone on the screen/keyboard if using a laptop, being sure that they are at the same vertical height as your eyes.

Microphone: An external mic (e.g. lapel clip-on mic) can really help with the sound quality...even the mobile phone headset mic attached on a shirt button could help the quality.

Background: Sitting ideally in front of a neutral background (clear wall or even ideally a black backdrop)

Lighting: Having a natural source of light from one side, to create a side lighting effect on the face.

Noises: Checking that there are no background humming noises / interferences.