How to Look Better on Camera Deep Dive: Turn Your Office Into Part of Your Statement
- editorial team
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Our ongoing How to Look Better on Camera series is an audience favorite. Let's go deeper into part 5: your background. Your expertise and projects should all be visible to potential clients without you having to say a word. We are breaking down how to assert your authority by auditing your background before every meeting.
By: MMM Editorial Team
In our previous blog post, we explored how to look better on camera and why your background or environment can have a bigger impact than you think. While the last post glanced over what works and why, this will be a tactical "how-to" piece so you can take action to be media-ready immediately.
Showing your work is the most effective way to perfect your media presence. For all of you busy entrepreneurs, your office should not just be a place where you work; it should be a curated backdrop that communicates your brand or brand accomplishments.
Curating Proof
As mentioned before, establishing your work accomplishments can be very effective in growing a client base. If you have been featured in the news, print out the article or screenshot a clip from the interview. This accomplishment should be translatable int a physical presence. One excellent way to assure quality and authenticity is to request back copies of print pieces or high-resolution PDFs of your digital features from the outlet itself. Then, frame these pieces for the win. Print articles can be turned into beautiful plaques, providing third-party verification when seen by potential clients.
The Power of Photography
The best way for you to communicate yourself as a leader is to provide picture proof of you actually leading. There are two factors in creating the perfect photo: the action shot and professional edge. An action shot is a high-quality, framed photo of you speaking in front of a big audience or leading your team. It adds color and movement to your background and shows you, quite literally, in action allowing outsiders to conceptualize your work and understand it visually. The professional edge is vital in ensuring your images show professionalism and class. Skip iPhone snapshots unless edited and sharp. Ensure you have a professional photographer to capture your major moments and ask your event photographer to pull speaking shots of you and any other powerful moments to reduce admin work. These images speak a thousand words and when you only have 1 min can add a lot of context, trust and authority quickly. One example for a business focused on community work is to have the CEO at a community event, surrounded by smiling listeners. Or a candidate should be doing the work: at their local city hall, a giveaway etc. A photo is a potent way to control what others think of you and further a specific image.
Personal vs. Professional Artifacts
Oftentimes, we see visionaries and entrepreneurs fill their office backgrounds with family photos. While these are sweet and heartfelt, they do not translate into professional authority for national news producers or potential clients. Instead of photos of loved ones, place artifacts that represent your brand's craft around your office. For example, if you are an author, strategically place first-edition books or vintage typewriters somewhere visible in your workplace. While family photos are warm and inspiring, they're hugely personal and don't always tell your audience more about your passion or role in the work. For certain politicians, activists and major world-changing organizations, it's also not safe to post your family on the news. This is something we often warn CEOs new to publicity.
[Related] Try our new workbook to equip you with the language and materials to highlight the most compelling parts of your brand—so you become impossible for the media to ignore.
Other great artifacts include gifts from leaders in the same industry, autographed items and other decor that can signal status. Don't stop at art, however, as this doesn't always translate to general audiences.
Why "Showing Your Work" Matters
The biggest issues visionaries face are bridging the gap between their actual impact and perceived authority to build trust and inspire real action. At MMM, we help our clients achieve success by conducting "set audits," offering media training to premium clients and attending all interviews for last-minute changes or advice. While it can seem time-consuming, the right assistant or marketing team can easily switch up your decor and your office furniture before an interview to ensure the camera captures your brand's true narrative. Once it's done, put it all back and you'd be amazed at what the formal changes do for your mental health.
[Related] Ready to take the first step in your PR journey? Start with our discovery call, where we identify opportunities that align with your vision and equip you with messaging to attract press coverage immediately.
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Subscriber Tip:
Hearing advice isn't particularly helpful if it doesn't come with the resources to put it into action. Below we go over some of the infrastructure that helped our firm embody this advice across all levels.
Embodiment Practice: Living the Lessons
Do this today: Open your laptop camera and take a screenshot of your current interview background.
Identify three items that create clutter.
Identify one object that exemplifies authority to add to your background.
After doing that, take another picture and post it in the comments to get feedback or email us privately.
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