It is not simple for any photographer to record and edit videos. Videography necessitates the use of several tools and techniques. You need camera and tripod to ensure normal video effects. You also need good lighting to capture a natural view. Using light for video making enables you to adjust exposure levels in a scene, preserving more details in the shadows and highlights. In this article, we would like to cover the following topics:
- Reasons to use light for making videos at home or outdoors
- Factors to take into account for the one that fits your filmmaking needs
- Tips to set up lighting for your videos
Why do you need light for making videos?
There are various reasons to use studio light for video recording:
Good lighting gives you a professional appearance. You must project an air of competence if you want your audience to continue watching. Poor lighting not only makes it difficult to see, but it also provides the wrong impression of your abilities.
- Good lighting is crucial if you're performing a makeup lesson or demonstration so that your audience can easily see the colors and methods you use.
- You aim to establish an atmosphere that supports your message. Different lighting effects and levels of illumination can convey subtle messages to your audience and elicit the emotions you seek.
- The audience is drawn to the subject you want them to look at by good lighting. Contrasting lighting make the subject stand out.
What factors should you consider when picking one?
No matter what types of lights for making video you want to use, there are several factors you need to consider, which include:
Color temperature: When filming videos, it's crucial to make sure the lighting is steady. Most lights have settings ranging from extremely cool to very warm. A broad range is ideal since you'll have both warm and cold light options to fit the lighting conditions you're shooting in or the look you want to achieve. Wrong color temperature may ruin the scene, making the video look wired and unnatural.
Intensity and brightness: It's crucial to have the proper wattage and brightness. A powerful light is likely required if you are shooting a large scene either inside or outside. You don't need as much light if you're only shooting yourself or your own items. Most lights can also be dimmed in terms of brightness.
Cooling: The worst can happen if your light becomes too hot. Make sure you have enough equipment and power to handle lights. In this situation, it is a good choice to use LED light for video recording since it produces less heat during working. Besides, many manufacturers have constructed it with a fan or use fin and groove structure to help control the working temperature.
Power source: Can the LED be powered by both a power outlet and a battery? This means that you may use these lights both indoors in a studio setting when you have access to an AC connection and outdoors using battery power. Some lights can be powered by V-Mount batteries, which is fantastic if you need the extra brightness for vlogging.
Portability: The type of videos you intend to create will directly affect how portable your lighting equipment has to be. If you want to shoot in a studio, portability is less of a concern. However, if you want to shoot in different locations, portability is a crucial element that you cannot ignore.
Accessories: Most lighting kits come with a variety of useful accessories that enable you to get better results. High-quality lighting kits frequently include reflectors, diffusers, barn doors, scrims, and mounting accessories. You shouldn't purchase a kit that doesn't include at least some of the accessories we've included here.
[If you are confused by the numerous product options on the market and want to make a quick purchase, check the article Budget LED lights for video: Top 4 picks at COLBOR to see if there is the one that fits your video shooting.]
Five tips on how to setup light for video
Picking the best light for making videos is the first step to high quality video output. And below we offer more tips for you to set up perfect lighting for your videos.
Light the subject well
Let's begin with the most fundamental yet crucial piece of advice. When making a video, you should make sure that the scene and your subject are both properly illuminated. Using light for making YouTube videos accomplishes a number of tasks, including grabbing the viewer's attention, setting the scene's mood, and making sure the audience is clearly seen.
But how precisely do you properly illuminate the subject? You may do so by producing a lighting arrangement that illuminates your topic adequately or by utilizing natural light. You should always take a test shot after your frame is in place to see how it appears on camera.
You will be able to see if the camera sensor is capturing enough light after taking the test shot. You may need to alter your settings in order to acquire the ideal lighting in your frame because cameras don't see light the same way that human eyes do.
Moving the subject or your light for video making around can also help you make lighting adjustments.
Move the subject closer to a window or other diffused natural light source if they are being exposed to too many sharp shadows. If the subject is overexposed, on the other hand, you need to relocate them further away from the light source or reduce the light by using light-blocking materials like blankets or drapes.
Avoid overhead lighting
Have you ever noticed how the sun casts shadows when it is directly overhead? When you capture video with overhead illumination, the angles that result are harsh and frequently unattractive.
Beginner video producers frequently make the error of utilizing ceiling lights in the majority of rooms as their only light source. This frequently results in the entire scene being painted in a single hue and casting unflattering shadows on the subject's face.
You should switch to adjustable video lights that could be positioned in front of your subject rather than overhead illumination. Even better, you can utilize them to augment the overhead lighting by casting light in the other direction to lessen shadows.
Place the light source and camera in a way that emphasizes shadows and adds depth to the frame
How to position light for video? First we should understand that the appropriate use of shadows in your scene may give your videos a lot of depth and make them appear really theatrical. You need to set up your scene such that the camera and the light source are both positioned on the opposite side of the subject at around 45°angles. Picture your subject, the camera, and the light source as the three points of a triangle to get the idea.
Use 3-point lighting setup
This is a commonly used setup in professional videos. To create this setup, you will need:
- Key Light: This is the main source of illumination for the video. It adds depth and complexity and exposes your topic. To produce stunning shadows, this light is positioned 45 degrees in front of your subject.
- Fill Light: This is utilized to counteract the shadows the primary light casts. It can be created by employing a second, less powerful light source or by reflecting light off of surfaces like walls and textiles.
- Back Light: It is placed behind the subject, as the name implies, to make them stand out from the backdrop. It is frequently positioned in opposition to the fill light, which is advantageous for photographers using cell phones without aperture ranges for creating depth of focus.
Don’t mix color temperatures
Even seasoned video producers occasionally struggle with the use of light for video making with varying color temperatures, such as warm light from a tungsten lamp and cold light from a fluorescent bulb. Therefore, it is wise to steer clear of various color temperatures when first starting out.
As your camera sensors attempt to correct the white balance in your frame, mixed illumination might be difficult for them. You may wind up with very heated, yellow, or pale, blue, photos, depending on how your sensors interpret this.
If you want to create cinematic photos, it is best to adhere to using light that has a single color temperature unless you have a greater understanding of your camera's capabilities and how it collects light.