How to Go From Camera-Shy to Camera-Confident with Elsewine Rietveld.

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There's no doubt about it — we live in a video world, and that's a scary realization for many. The thought of seeing themselves on screen, or worse, of others seeing them on screen, makes their hearts race and causes the same reactions someone afraid of public speaking would have. Thankfully, there are people like Elsewine Rietveld who can help. Since 2013, Elsewine has been training professionals to speak with confidence in conversations, presentations, and on video. She's worked with CEOs, managers, and employees from organizations including KPMG, KLM, Deloitte, local governments, various law firms, and close to a thousand business owners. Joining us from the Netherlands, here's my conversation with Elsewine Rietveld.

From Camera-Shy to Camera-Confident

Peter: Appearing on video has become a necessity for many of us — but that doesn't mean we're comfortable with it. Can you tell us how you went from camera-shy to camera-confident?

Elsewine: It actually started with fear of public speaking in college. I had to research something and present it to the whole classroom — ninety people. I walked to the front and just froze. There was a complete disconnect in my brain, and I didn't know what I was supposed to say.

That sent me on a journey. I did training, joined a debating club, and got more comfortable — still a little scared, but no longer freezing. Then at some point I thought: I can create an online course from all of this. I borrowed a tripod, set up some lights, pressed record — and walked straight out of the room. When that big camera lens opened up, it felt as if ninety pairs of eyes were looking at me again, multiplied. I know it's irrational, but it felt like ten thousand people watching.

So I found a method that helped me move out of overthinking and into practical exercises for body, mind, and energy. That's what helped me stay in front of the camera, press record, and actually finish the first videos. And over the past eight years, I've been teaching others to do the same using that method — integrated with everything I've learned.

Peter: Most people see an expert like you and assume it just comes naturally. But like anyone, you had to work at it.

Elsewine: Absolutely. I can relate completely to people who feel uncomfortable speaking up — whether in a work meeting or in a circle where everyone is about to introduce themselves one by one. You feel it coming closer. The closer it gets, the more nervous you get. That's something I hear constantly. And I experienced it myself.

Common Camera Struggles

Peter: What are some of the most common struggles people have specifically with making video?

Elsewine: The most common one is not liking how they look or sound on camera. When you hear a recording of yourself, it sounds different from how you hear your own voice in your head — and that's true for everyone. It's pure physiology. For the audio part, it's simply something you get used to. For the visual part, we tend to be far more critical of ourselves than anyone else is. Other people are thinking about themselves — they're not scrutinizing you the way you are.

Another very common struggle is not knowing what to say. Just today I met someone at a networking session who said she could never do personal videos because she had no content. In two minutes I gave her five ideas off the top of my head — using Trello, managing email, planning your day, scheduling tools, problem-solving. She was surprised. So many people think they have nothing to share because they know it. They forget there are people who don't know what they know.

Technical overwhelm is another barrier — do I need lights? An editor? Captions? What background? When all of that feels like too much to figure out, it keeps people from starting at all.

Why Video Matters for Your Business

Peter: Why is it so important to include video?

Elsewine: Two reasons. First, video builds connection in a way text simply cannot. A photo and a bio give people an idea of who you are — but that idea is often very different from the reality. Your voice, the way you move, the way you speak, your personality — all of it comes through in video in a way that nothing else replicates.

The second reason is that video actually saves you time. When someone reads your posts and likes your content, then gets on a discovery call and sees you for the first time — and decides you're not for them — that's a waste of time for both of you. But when they've already watched your videos, they already have a feel for who you are. The people who aren't a fit won't reach out. And the people who are a fit will arrive already knowing you, liking you, and trusting you. Selling becomes so much easier. I spoke with someone recently who said she hardly does any selling anymore because clients already know who she is before they ever contact her.

The First Step: A Mindset Shift

Peter: For listeners who are still camera-shy and not sure they can do this, what's the first step?

Elsewine: It's a mindset shift. When I first got in front of a camera, it felt like ten thousand people watching — even though I knew mentally that wasn't true. What helped was stopping thinking about the camera as a thing, or as thousands of viewers, and instead imagining just one person I was speaking to. Your best friend. Your ideal client. Someone you know well.

Then find the lens on your device — phone, laptop, camera — and imagine that lens is the eye of that one person. You're just having a conversation. Some people even put a photo of that person behind the camera so it feels real. I spoke with an actress who was perfectly comfortable in front of cameras for film, but when she had to make business videos, she found it surprisingly daunting. This was the thing that finally worked for her. When she imagined she was just talking to her best friend, her real self came through.

Start with short videos — one tip, just a minute or two. Don't try to be perfect. Just be you, talking to one person.

What to Avoid on Camera

Peter: What should people avoid when making videos?

Elsewine: Don't read. The whole point of video is connection — and the moment you look away from the lens to read, that connection breaks. Your audience can feel the shift immediately. Written text also sounds different when read aloud; it loses the natural rhythm of conversation. Bullet points are fine. Full scripts are not.

I'd also avoid background music playing at the same time you're speaking. I see this a lot — someone downloads a generic royalty-free track and plays it under their entire video. It has nothing to do with their message and makes the viewer have to work to hear them. It creates distance rather than connection. Just be you. Make that connection. That's all you need.

When You Forget What You Were Going to Say

Peter: We all know what it's like to go blank mid-presentation. What do you do when you're making a video and you completely lose your train of thought?

Elsewine: First, breathe. Keep breathing. When the breath stops, everything stops. Write down your bullet points beforehand and practice the material out loud a few times — not to memorize it, just to get acquainted with the words. I sometimes run through a new topic in the shower once or twice. You don't need to say it exactly the same way each time. The message is what matters, not the exact phrasing.

For recorded videos, you can simply stop, breathe, collect yourself, and start again from where you remember. Nobody sees your outtakes. For live video, acknowledge it. Say: I was just about to say something and it slipped my mind. People won't judge you for it — they'll actually like you more for it, because you're real and relatable. Trying to hide a blank moment creates more tension than just naming it. Once you acknowledge it and take a breath, you almost always find your way back.

Peter: I love how you put that — get acquainted with the words.

Elsewine: It just came out that way today. And I think I'll keep it.

Peter: You have a new book coming out — Get Comfortable on Camera. Tell us about it.

Elsewine: It combines the full strategy and practical tips around making videos with nine expert interviews — and as a book bonus, readers can watch the full interviews. I start with the strategy of making videos: what are your goals, who are you making them for, where will you post them? All of that shapes the topics, the length, and everything that goes into the videos. From there, it covers mindset — including how to loosen beliefs that hold you back — along with a full set of do's and don'ts and the pirate technique for live video.

My big vision is that at least ten thousand business owners read this book, implement these steps, and start inspiring their audiences. People who have been hiding get found. They get more clients. They help more people. It's a ripple effect of positivity, and that's what I'm working toward.

Peter: What's one final tip you can leave our listeners with?

Elsewine: Think about the one thing that holds you back from making videos — whatever your biggest resistance is. Then think about your audience and the impact your content will have on them. And say this to yourself: even though I struggle with [your resistance], I know my audience will benefit from what I share. That sentence doesn't erase the fear. But it makes the fear smaller than the impact. And when the positive outcome is bigger than the block, you move forward anyway. That's what gets you in front of the camera — and keeps you there.

Peter: Elsewine, where can our listeners find you and the book?

Elsewine: Two places. My website is elsewinerietveld.com — just how my name is written. And the book has its own site at getcomfortableoncamerabook.com, where you'll find information about the book and snippets from the interviews.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.