Before shooting a video, the director says: “light, camera, action!”. That’s the signal the team needs to start recording. But the choice of these words is not accidental.
Without light, there is no image. It is she who directs the viewer’s gaze, highlighting objects and creating the context you need for your recording. Therefore, well-made lighting is so important for your videos As the and the sound.
The same rule applies to people who work as .
You have probably already heard that famous phrase that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. For digital influencers, mainly those who focus on social networks like Instagram, that is a constant truth.
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This is because the ibadly captured images spend a idea unprofessional of you and your product, in addition to making it difficult to understand the content.
That is why you should always worry about the light in your photos and, mainly, in your videos. Now you must be wondering:
Is professional lighting not very expensive?
The good news is that you can make video lighting using cheap equipment or items you already have around the house. And, in this post, we are going to show you all the tips to create perfect home video lighting.
Follow our advice!
Why is video lighting important in marketing?
Even if the shooting environment is well lit, the camera is unable to capture enough light, which can lead to images that are fuzzy and “grainy” in appearance. That loss of quality happens with any type of equipment, no matter if you’re shooting with a smartphone or a DSLR camera.
It is clear that it is possible to correct one detail or another in the, but depending on the ambient lighting at the time of recording, not even the most experienced editor can save their content. Which means you’ll have to do tinkering.
So that this does not happen, it is important to think about the lighting for your video from the beginning. Where are you going to record? How is the background of that place? What kind of image do you want to convey to whoever is watching?
It is clear that professional lighting for videos It requires investment in equipment, and a few years of practice, but there are techniques you can use to ensure that people see what you’re recording clearly.
A good idea may be, for example, to use more than one lamp to light the video and create contrast between the actor and the background.
We have even published a very interesting post on our blog to .
Types of light you will need to shoot videos
Video lighting isn’t aerospace science, but you’ll need to have a minimal setup to get started. Below we list the most common equipment for a simple video in which the camera will be static.
1. Softbox
It is a widely used piece of equipment, since it generates a diffuse and soft light that, when directed correctly, reduces shadows and highlights the natural features of the person in front of the camera.
The kit consists of a cold lamp, attached to a box, lined with shiny paper on the inside, and can be reproduced with items you have at home, like a shoe box, for example.
There are several tutorials on the Internet that teach you how to make your own softbox. Later we will show you the step by step in order to create your own lighting for videos in this same text.
2. Sun Gun
A Sun Gun is the best choice for fill light as it offers a more yellowish light. Don’t worry, we’ll talk about fill light later in this text.
The equipment is in rectangular format, made up of small LED panels, and does not have a plug, which makes it ideal for both internal and external scenes.
3.LED panel
LED panels are structures very similar to a luminaire and can be used in various environments. They are made up of several small lamps that, together, form a luminous structure of various sizes.
Generally, it is not necessary to connect the panel to an outlet, since most of them are battery powered. Additionally, LED panels typically have a long lifespan, making the maintenance value low.
4.Ring Light
The ring light is a great darling of the , because it can be easily attached to cameras to take selfies with perfect lighting. But it is not only useful for photos, but can be very well used in videos.
The ring light is basically a light in a circular format, in which the camera is placed inside it.
Its main use is to focus on the face of the person in front of the cameras, that is, to take close-up shots.
5. Backlights
Background lights are necessary if you want to record videos in a studio, as they serve to provide contrast between the actor and the background, giving a sense of depth.
Bonus tip:
Choose lamps between 5,000 and 5,500 kelvin, which generate a whiter light, making the editing process easier.
Kelvin is a unit of measurement that measures the color temperature of the lamp. Values above or below those we recommend can cause a bluish or reddish effect in your images.
When to use natural lighting to record videos?
In external scenes, the best alternative is to make the most of the light that the day has to offer, therefore, pay attention to the time to start the recordings so that the lighting does not change much from one scene to the next.
Never record with your back to windows, as the lens of your camera can compensate for excess light, leaving the recorded object with only the visible silhouette.
The ideal is to remain positioned facing the window, in favor of the light.
On the other hand, artificially lit environments are more controllable and predictable.
It is possible to more easily identify when there is overexposure, if the color of the environment is not uniform, and you can solve these situations by repositioning the equipment, while with external light, cloudy or rainy weather are real impediments to recording.
If you’re shooting at home, choose to place the camera in front of solid-color walls (no wallpaper and preferably darker tones).
Just be careful to preserve the visual identity of your videos and not pick a scenario completely opposite to what you’re saying.
Remember that you should never mix the internal light with the external one!
Your camera is programmed to distinguish color temperature, and mixing sunlight with artificial lighting can give your video an amateurish effect.
If you opt for artificial lighting, you will need to darken the entire environment before you start your recording.
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Requirements of good lighting for videos
Before starting to record, define the position of the lighting equipment, and that will depend on the effect you want to have on your audience.
In any of the compositions, you will need:
1. main light
The main light is used to illuminate the actor and the other elements that make up the scene. Here you can use both direct and concentrated light (also known as hard light), as well as a type of diffused lighting, which produces almost no shadows.
Hard light is obtained directly from the reflector, while soft light is obtained with diffusers, or by using a softbox.
The equipment must be placed upside down, at an angle of 45 degrees in relation to the camera and the person’s face. That elevated position creates some shadows on the face, helping to give a sense of volume.
To cause this effect, you can use a shoebox to support the reflector or softbox.
2. Fill light
The fill light, as the name says, is used to fill in the shadows generated by the main light. For that function, you can use another softbox or a sun gun, which we already mentioned at the beginning of the text.
The fill light should be positioned away from the main light and further forward, at a 60 degree angle relative to the camera. The height should also be below the main light.
3. Background
In videos with a light background, you need to lighten this space so you don’t have shadows of yourself appearing behind the video.
Another measure that can help reduce the shadows behind the video is to use lateral softboxes, to neutralize the light that falls on the front.
If you have a lot of difficulty with lighting, but master editing techniques, shoot in front of a green background and create a “fake set” for your video, by nullifying the standard color, a technique known as chroma key.
4. Mobile phone applications
Generally, smartphone cameras do not have manual control over iso, shutter speed, and lens aperture.
But you can download apps that allow you to lock focus, open the sensor, and increase light exposure to produce clearer, higher-quality images.
How to assemble a lighting set with homemade equipment?
You will need to:
- Cold lamps, preferably 24 watts of power;
- Sheets of parchment paper;
- A shoe box;
- Table lamps.
1st step: Wrap the lamp with parchment paper. The butter paper will neutralize part of the light, giving a more natural effect.
2nd step: Wrap the tape around the “wrapper” to prevent light from leaking in and being captured by the lens.
3rd step: Repeat the process with the other lamps.
4th step: Position the main light in front of you, at a 45º angle in relation to the camera.
5th step: The fill light can be placed in front of the main light. do tests, for example, taking a photo to see which is the best position.
6th step: If you’re shooting against a dark background, place colored lamps turned in the opposite direction from the white lights, illuminating the background.
Only with this structure can variations be madewithout the need to invest in other types of lighting.
you can create darker, lighter scenes, with the silhouette of the actor more contrasted, among other possibilities.
But pay attention to the length of the video, as prolonged use of parchment paper near the lamp can cause accidents.
Professional video lighting
In the same way that people do not like to watch videos with poor quality audio, they also do not manage to concentrate looking at images that are not sharp or grainy, even if the content is of high quality.
Therefore, more than an aesthetic issue, perfect lighting counts many points for the experience of your audience and, consequently, for your .
So, if you want to increase the sales of your , don’t forget this stage!
Are you starting now in this market? Take the opportunity to read the post about .
This post was originally written in August 2017 and updated, in collaboration with Bárbara Santos, to contain more information…
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