Lighting Basics for Professional Video and Streaming

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of being able to produce a professional video. It doesn’t matter how expensive or nice your camera is if the lighting is not done well or simply if things are under lit. A properly lit scene will make even a modest camera produce a much better looking image. 

So we’ll go ahead and go over some fundamentals of lighting so that you can improve your image quality in a way you might not have even known was possible! 

Why Lighting Matters More Than You Think

To break it down in the simplest terms, cameras work through receiving light and funneling it to the sensor which creates the image that you see. So basically your camera relies on light to produce a clear image, if the lighting is not good enough then you’re likely going to introduce noise or artifacts because the camera is forced to increase the sensitivity of the sensor to compensate. 

Proper lighting helps:

• Improve sharpness and clarity
• Produce accurate colors
• Reduce unwanted shadows
• Create separation between subjects and the background
• Deliver a more professional viewing experience

Before upgrading your camera, it’s important to evaluate your lighting setup.

Start with Even, Front-Facing Light

One of the first ways we would recommend you enhance your lighting is by placing a light in front of the subject. Ideally you would use a soft light source. You might be asking, “what is a soft light?”. A soft light just means a lighting source that is using some sort of diffusion to “soften” the light on the subject. 

The reason we start with a light in front of the subject is because it reduces harsh shadows and helps to make the face clearly visible. 

Understanding Three-Point Lighting

One of the most common ways and most effective ways to light a subject is known as three-point lighting. It’s a fairly simple concept but it does require some practice and playing around with to get the best results!

Key Light
This is the primary light source and should be positioned slightly to the side of the camera but in front of the subject, this light source is aimed at the subject.This is also usually your brightest light in the setup. 

Fill Light
Placed opposite the key light, the fill light softens shadows and balances the image. Typically it’s less intense in terms of brightness when compared to the key light.

Back Light
The back light is going to be exactly what it sounds like, it will be positioned behind the subject. This light helps because it can give depth to the image through separating the subject from the background.

Even a simplified version of this setup can dramatically improve video quality.

Natural Light vs Artificial Light

Natural lighting can give a special look to your shot, but it’s important to understand that it’s not consistent and isn’t perfect. As long as you understand that it can change throughout the day and choose the best time of day that gives the most pleasing lighting then you can create an awesome image. 

If using natural light:

• Face the window rather than sitting with it behind you
• Avoid mixing strong daylight with indoor lighting
• Be aware that brightness may shift during long events

Artificial lighting provides consistency and control, which is why it can be advantageous for professionals but don’t discount natural light depending on your vision for the image.

Avoid Common Lighting Mistakes

Backlighting the subject
Don’t place your subject in front of a bright window or light! This makes it very difficult to properly expose for the subject without blowing out the image. 

Using lights that are too harsh
If you’re not diffusing the light and instead are using direct light it can be a bit harsh. It might create shiny spots or create “hot spots” on the subject where part of their skin is overexposed but the rest is underexposed.

Mixing color temperatures
Combining warm and cool lights can cause unnatural skin tones.

Understanding Color Temperature

Color temperature simply explains how “warm” or “cool” a light appears.

• Warm light tends to look more yellow or orange.
• Cool light appears more white or slightly blue.

To get the best results you don’t want to be mixing the color temperatures. If your key light is 6700K then the rest of your lights should be 6700K as well. K refers to the Kelvin light scale, which is the measurement of color temperature with lights. The lower the number the “warmer” the light, higher is “cooler”. 

Final Notes

Lighting is one of the most overlooked aspects of video production. If you can nail good lighting you can accomplish an amazing professional looking result without investing a lot of money into upgrading cameras. Great lighting will only help to make your cameras perform at their best and provide the best viewing result for your audience.