Learning to light your videos properly tin exist a daunting task, specially for beginners. There's a massive difference betwixt how we encounter and how a camera captures scenes.

Don't worry, here we have cleaved video lighting downwardly so you tin can create beautifully lit videos in no fourth dimension.

Before you master your video lighting setup, you should know the basics of making videos. Check out our folio on video production to become started.

Webcam lighting

Here are some tips for setting upwardly your webcam:

  • Brand sure yous accept plenty light. Either make sure you're filming in a spot with enough natural light or invest in some lighting equipment.
  • Make sure your face is evenly lit to avoid unwanted shadows. Play around with the placement of your webcam to get the perfect setup.

If you lot're on a upkeep, try placing your webcam in front of a window, so the natural light hits your face. If you don't have admission to natural low-cal, don't fear; there are many inexpensive band lights yous can use to upward your lighting game.

webcam

How to light a video

Step 1: Prepare for the shoot

Scout your location before you start shooting. Keep in mind that natural light is subject to change very quickly- one minute the sun is there and the next it's disappeared!

These kinds of changes tin can prove disastrous for your lighting setup. Make certain you account for this and have lighting backups to ensure your video lighting is constant.

Step 2: Make up one's mind on a lighting source

Lighting on a budget:

Natural lighting tin can exist gorgeous if it stays constant, but you can't depend on the weather condition to remain the same throughout your video. If yous have this luxury, employ it! It's besides the cheapest option.

At that place are plenty of cheap alternatives. You can get a bunch of dissimilar clamp lights online – simply you don't have much control over dimming and brightness, so watch out for this.

You lot can become creative with adjusting your lights. If you want to create a softer filter, you can purchase diffusion paper and tape it over your lights. Play with different reflectors to bounciness your calorie-free, so it's not so harsh as well.

Mid-range:

If you accept a few hundred dollars to spend, then you tin get some decent studio lights for your setup. Many of these studio lights tin can often be pretty bulky, just y'all tin can fish around to find a adept size for your setup.

It's a good idea to get one with a light stand, as lighting facing down is always a flattering angle.

light

Loftier stop:

Y'all can get lighting setups with some very fancy features. This is a expert idea if you're shooting quality videos regularly and need to control things similar dimmers and colors.

It'due south a practiced idea to rent these expensive setups kickoff to check if they are worth the money for your videos. Check out our website to do this.

Stride three: Position your lighting

Next, yous'll desire to position your lights and reflectors for your video setup. The most common way of doing this is chosen the three-signal setup- read on to find out exactly how to do this.

Step 4: Conform light color temperature

Depending on the light you choose, it may requite off a cooler or warmer tone. This affects the mood created in your videos, and y'all typically don't want to mix these tones.

Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (k), so do your research before buying your lights.

The 3-point video lighting setup

This setup has a primal light, a fill low-cal, and a backlight. Imagine your setup every bit a clock, with your camera at six.

Your primal calorie-free is approximately at 4. It provides the most light for the scene.

Your fill light sits at 8. It fills in and softens the shadows created by the primal low-cal. It should accept virtually half the intensity of your key light.

The backlight should be around 1 or 2. It diffuses your subject into the background to avoid a apartment-looking shot.

3 video lighting tips

1. Diffuse harsh lighting

Lights that you can't dim or filter are known as 'hard lights'. They help shoot high-contrast videos but don't arrange every setup. You can diffuse them using everything from barn doors to diffusing paper. Get creative with your soft light!

2. Lookout man for glare

If your scene has reflective surfaces, you demand to account for glare. This is especially the example if your subject wears glasses. Effort to shoot at such an angle (either to the side or from a higher angle) to reduce glare.

glare

3. Be mindful of natural lighting

Natural lite changes quickly as the dominicus moves. Therefore, you don't desire to rely on the lord's day as your only light source. Keep a backup plan in case the sun leaves you hanging.

Learn how to make better videos

Eager to learn more about lighting setups? Head over to our page on moving-picture show lighting to swoop in. And then check out our page on filmmaking to take your videos to the adjacent level.

Video lighting FAQ

How do I prepare video lighting?

This will depend on your location and what lighting you've chosen to use. If y'all're stuck, go with the three-point setup.

How do I light a video professionally?

A great mode to add that professional await to your videos is through your setup. The lite is just the outset of your setup: play with diffusers, reflectors, and fill lights so that your videos look similar they've been shot by a professional.

Where should lighting be placed in a video?

You lot can use natural calorie-free with your subject facing a window that the camera is in front of. If you lot can't rely on natural lite then refer to the three-signal gear up for an easy program to follow.