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).

diagram showing the key light behind the camera.

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.

example of bad lighting with back lighting

The window/key light is behind me so I am 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.

example of window light in front of the subject

Here I am facing the window and am well lit.

Example of natural light from the side.

Window light is to the side of me, this is ok but can be improved.

lit from the side and front

I have added an additional light source from a desk lamp.

A lamp for additional lighting

My lamp for additional lighting. Note that it is not pointing at me.

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.