Lighting for Video
If you're filming yourself on a webcam or any camera, it's important to get your lighting right.
Here are a few handy tips to help you.
Adequate Lighting
You need to make sure that there is good lighting in the room you're recording in. Light sources can be from:
- a window in the daytime
- your main room light
- smaller lamps e.g. a desk lamp
The strongest light source in your room/environment is called the key-light. In most cases, if recording at home, this will be sunlight coming through the window or the light on your ceiling.
The best position for this key-light is to be behind the camera (or, in-front of you).
This ensure that the light is illuminating your face but not shining into the camera.
Avoid Strong Light from Behind
If the key-light is in-front of the camera i.e. behind you, this will tend to cause the camera to darken the picture to compensate. This has the effect of putting you in silhouette.
But I Can't Move the Window!
No you can't! But you can move yourself!
If it's possible, try to re-position your desk so that the key-light is in-front of you, or even to the side, this will make a massive difference.
If the key-light is side-on, you could try using a desk lamp to add additional illumination to your face.
If using a desk lamp, avoid pointing it directly at yourself as this can be quite harsh. See the last image below where the light is pointing away from me giving a subtle, softer light.
If you really can't avoid sitting with your back to the window, experiment with the curtains/blinds to tame the incoming sunlight and/or a desk light to illuminate your face.