Why does Skype video always look so bad? The big reasons people have a camera below. Either they're holding a cell phone or it's a desktop, it's looking up their nose that's an unflattering angle. They're pointing to a bright light in the ceiling or a light the sun coming from a window behind them. So their faces all washed out and it looks horrible. So it's a combination of the angle, the lighting, and to top it all off.
The audio is usually horrible because you're using a built in microphone on a computer, laptop or iPad. For 20 bucks, you can get a lav mic like this and you'll sound better so you want to improve it just make sure that you're holding the camera or the camera is at your eye level or a couple of inches above. Get a $20 lav microphone to clip on yourself. Have more light in front of you and behind you and don't shoot into an open window.