If you look at my “How To Build A Mechanical Keyboard: No Soldering Required” video compared to the newest one, “PS5 | How To Change Ps5 Controller Faceplate”, you can see a big difference in lighting. This helped the camera focus better and add more detail to the shots. You can see my face better in this video compared to the “How To Type Faster Tips And Methods” video as well.
After that first video I decided to start researching more about lighting methods and which budget build would be most efficient for someone just starting out. After scouring videos on YouTube about YouTube I found a couple of videos that helped me decide.
I ended up buying the items below and once they arrived, I started to position them in ways that fit into the room I had available. I only used the LED light in one video and a lightbox and LED light in another. Can you tell which video used what set up?
Three lights = Magic
If you scour the internet for lighting methods and tips you will see the three light setups mentioned over and over. This for most, is the rule of thumb.
In a three light setup you have a key light, a fill light, and a back light.
Key Light
If you only have one light available, then this would become the key light by default. This light will always be the main light in your setup. This light is used to light the subject within the shot and should always be the strongest light available. Usually this light is placed diagonally to the subject to illuminate them while still giving some shadow.
Fill Light
If your set up consists of only 2 lights, then your next light in line would be called the fill light. This light would be placed opposite the key light in order to reduce the shadows on that side. Since your key light is your strongest light than the fill light would be somewhat softer. You can achieve this by diffusing the light or moving it further from your subject.
Back Light
The final light in a 3-point setup is called the back light. This light is set up just as the name sounds, in the back of the subject. This light should be softer in nature and highlight the back of the head, hair, and shoulders of your subject. This light is also called the rim light because if placed correctly can highlight the outside rim of your subject with light.
Even if you only have 1 or 2 lights available, you can still take advantage of the principles behind the 3-light setup.
Amazon Basics Lightweight Camera Mount
I used this to mount the LED light mentioned above.
All in all, better lighting will yield better results when it comes to shooting your videos and photography.
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