Trying to shoot a video or even setup a decent looking Zoom call setup? You don't need a lot of equipment to setup a "Talking Head" video shot. In fact, you might not need anything except a phone and a table or bookshelf.
To get started, tilt your phone sideways and stack it on some books. I used 7 encyclopedias that ended up being 10" tall. With the top book pushed back, I leaned my phone at a 45 degree angle and created the perfect desktop tripod.
I also took my phone and set it on the top of my kids' bookshelf. The shelf is 7' tall, so the top shelf puts the phone about 6' off the ground, just a touch above eye level.
Okay, in the sake of honesty, as much as I want to tell everyone I'm 6' tall, I'm only 5' 11 and 3/4". This used to bother me in high school and college, but I've come to terms with it. However, when I have to put my height on something like my drivers license, there's only room for 3 digits, so you bet I'm putting 6' 0" on there. DEAL WITH IT.
Now, both of these methods apply to my height specifically, so it's going to vary for you. The key is to aim for eye level or just above it. This makes your head look good. Trust me on this. If you go too far below or above eye level, you can accidentally create unflattering or distracting images.
Also, in both these instances, the desk I used and the bookshelf were within a few feet of a window on a sunny day. This ended up giving me good lighting too. These shots aren't anything great, but they're steady, evenly lit shots. If you shooting a quick video for something, this would come across as passable, and isn't that ultimately the goal?
While it's tempting to feel the urge to buy tripods, phone mounts and clamps to make a good looking video shot, simple is just better. With this method, you can make decent video shots without breaking (or even touching) the bank!
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