So you’ve got a camera. You’ve got your room decorated. You’re ready to start filming.
Or are you?
The single most important factor for home video recording quality, more important than even your camera, is lighting.
And no, that doesn’t mean turning on the floor lamp and the overhead light.
You’ve gotta consider the white balance, the color, the intensity, and above all the positioning of your lights.
But is it possible to get pro-quality lighting without a pro budget?
We took a look at all the best home recording lighting options, so you don’t have to.
Read on to make your next video your best ever:
Working with what you’ve got
So maybe you’ve got a lighting budget, and that budget is Zero.
That’s ok. You can still make do, and get better results than you have now, with what you’ve got lying around the house.
There’s a principle in photography called Three-Point Lighting, and if you apply this theory (even without professional equipment), you’re gonna notice the results right away.
Here is an excellent tutorial for achieving solid three-point lighting, at home, using stuff you definitely already have. (Nobody tell him that a porn blog linked to his video, ok?)
Prismatic LED Halo Ring Light
Ever watched a YouTube makeup tutorial? Let’s be honest – we all have. Even I can appreciate the skill and finesse that goes into a good contour.
If you’ve seen one, and we all know you have, you’ve probably seen one of these ring lights somewhere in the frame.
These do a phenomenal job given the pricepoint, they mount to your camera so the subject always stays lit, and the LED bulbs give great light color and will last for ages.
HOWEVER – you’ll still need ambient (i.e. background) lighting, otherwise the subject will be washed out. Another potential con to using ring lights is that you can sometimes see ‘em reflected in people’s eyeballs on camera. However, as Mark Rockwell says, “most people enjoy the little 'donut' in the girl's eyes.”
A good one clocks in around $200, and it’s absolutely worth the investment.
Fovitec StudioPRO
Ready to get pro with it? High-level production needs high-level lighting.
This kit from Fovitec includes two bi-color LED panels, with barndoor shutters, tripods and carrying case.
What does that all mean?
It means two of your three light sources are covered, you can move ‘em anywhere, and you can control how much or how little light to let out with the doors.
Check out a lighting comparison to see what a difference this kinda thing can make.
These are, however, not cheap – the set of two, with accessories, is gonna run you around $350.
Reflectors
OK, so you’ve got your lights. But to achieve true 3-point lighting, you need more than just lights.
You need something for ‘em to bounce off of.
This can be as simple as a white piece of Bristol board, or a sheet of tinfoil, or as elaborate as this.
What’s most important is your technique. There are lots of tutorials out there, but the best thing you can do is experiment with your scene, setting and lighting to see what gives you the best results.
No matter what type of lighting you can afford, if you apply these principles you’ll see a major difference in the quality of the videos you produce.
And as we all know, better quality = more streams, more sales and more cash.
Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments.
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