Saturday solutions: an easy backdrop for your video calls

Read this post to find out how I made a backdrop that goes with my outfit.

Now that social distancing has more people working and socializing from home than ever before, everyone can see what your home looks like. You can blur out the background or insert a digital background using technology if you would prefer not to have your coworkers and friends see anything. Another analogue option is to set up an area for your video calls. And you can use things that you probably have at home already.

Here's what you'll need:

- A bookcase that is at least higher than the top of your head while you are seated

- 3 to 6 pants hangers

- a large but fairly lightweight but opaque textile, at least 3 feet wide (e.g. duvet cover, fabric remnant, rag rug, shower curtain, dropcloth, tablecloth)

*optional:

a ring light tripod mount for your phone or tablet

Attach the hangers to the top edge of the textile you will be using for your backdrop, not leaving too much space between them. (Less than 2 inches is ideal.) Carefully hang the textile from the top edge of your bookshelf.

See how easy that was?

If you want to use something larger and heavier, you can. Here's how. Spread the textile (in my case, I used a king size bedspread) across the bookcase and weigh it down with something heavy that won't easily fall or roll off. I just put an iron on top.

Nobody needs to know because I cropped it out. And if you position your lens correctly, nobody will see how you rigged your backdrop.

Additional tips:

When you set things up, be mindful of your light sources. Natural light from windows is best, but if you don't have that, ring light tripod mounts are great and a lot of online retailers have them.