Lighting is one of the most important factors when it comes to filming your YouTube ad or video. Although it is often overlooked, lighting can be a clear line of separation between quality content that does exceptionally well and dim, murky lighting that will make viewers switch off. So how can you use the film lighting from your setup to your best advantage? In the blog we will look to capture how to make the best out of your current lighting setup as well as give you a few tips on how to keep your content bright.
Backlighting is something that can add such a great effect to your video. However, for beginners or those still honing their camera skills, it is important to keep in mind that using too much can harm the quality of your content. If you use too much then you risk creating a dim shot where viewers won’t be able to distinguish your facial features from a silhouette. As a result, making sure you position your lighting in front of the camera rather than behind can definitely help to stop this effect.
Natural light is such a great way to bring light and life to your video, and the best thing about it is that it’s free! If you’re in a room make sure your curtains are open to let the daylight through and make the most of the natural light coming through. Again, it is important not to have this window in the background as the backlighting may become too powerful and dominate your shot. If you keep these tips in mind then it will help give you balanced gilm lighting rather than a harsh shot which makes you look ‘washed out’.
For those looking to spend a bit of money then there are plenty of ways to get film lighting for cheap on the internet. The popularity of ring lights has been massively on the rise with many people using them from those just starting out all the way to professional bloggers on YouTube. The best thing about these is they are relatively cheap with a decent ring light setting you back on £30 or so. However, as mentioned above, it is not essential to buy lighting but if your setup warrants it or you struggle to get natural lighting then the solutions are relatively inexpensive.
Where does the lighting come from for your videos and in what ways have you experimented with lighting?