Improving the lighting for recording your video can make the difference between it being a low quality product or a high quality production. The key to good lighting for video is a balance of light between your foreground subject and background surroundings. Too much light from behind will make your subject appear dark while intense front lighting can cause hard shadows and whitewash. Using simple methods, you can improve your lighting quickly and with little cost.
Instructions
1. Avoid shooting directly into intense light sources. If your subject is standing in front of a window or fireplace, your camera will pick up more of the light coming from behind them and make them appear dark. The same is true for shooting in intense sunlight, always make sure that your camera is facing away from the sun.
2. Use your brightest light source on your key subject. Known as the "key light", this ensures that your subject appears clear and in focus when filmed. For example, if you are shooting outdoors, the sun will act as your key light since it will be brighter than any other light source you have.
3. Avoid shooting in the sun during the middle of the day. This is when shadows are strongest due to the intense light provided by the noon sun. If you have to shoot outdoors try to film in the early morning and late afternoon hours. The sun lays lower in the sky at these times and provides a more neutral diffused light.
4. Use fill lights to keep shadows off your key subject. You can use two softboxes to fill in the left and right sides of your subject. Place one softbox in front of and to the left of your subject and the other one on the right. Point them at a 45-degree angle so the light shoots across the side of your subject. This light fills in any shadows created by your key light.
5. Use back lighting to illuminate your subject's surroundings. This is your choice as you can film your subject in a dark setting if necessary. However, if you would like the background to be visible, you can use small can lights from a home improvement store and reflect the light off the ceiling and walls behind your key subject. This will diffuse the light source and illuminate the room.
Tags: your subject, light source, appear dark, Avoid shooting, from behind, intense light, subject This