How to Set Up Home Video Lighting

The proper home video lighting will vastly improve the quality of video that any camcorder records. Light is essential to gathering the information the camcorder needs to record images without color loss or a grainy quality. Improving home video lighting does not require fancy equipment or a great deal of planning. Simply remembering a few home video lighting principles will instantly result in better video.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Camera-mounted battery-operated light

1. Open curtains and shades to allow as much natural light as possible into the room. Turn on ceiling lights and lamps, even during the daytime. The general rule for home video lighting is that it is better to have too much light than not enough.
2. Switch off all fluorescent lights. These lights give people a greenish appearance and the settings on most camcorders to prevent this will distort other colors and reduce overall video quality.
3. Position the subjects so that the brightest light sources, such as a large bay window, will be behind the camcorder or at least to one side.
4. Set up lights on each side of the camcorder if possible. If taping subjects with a wall behind, a small light between their backs and the wall will create depth between the subjects and background. This works best with stronger lights from each side and a weaker light on the floor near the wall, which helps diffuse shadows and create the feeling of space.
5. Mount a small battery-operated light in the camcorder’s shoe (the fitting on top of the camcorder to hold lights or microphones) to illuminate subjects’ faces in a low-light situation of interview-style video, such as speaking with guests at a wedding reception or large party.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to white balance for the best video quality.

Who Can Help:

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