Quality lighting will make your video look MUCH better, no matter what kind of video you are making. That doesn’t mean it has to be hard.   Nor do you have to rely on a bunch of expensive professional equipment. I show you how to get great lighting just using desk lamps and windows.

If you are able to learn the basic principles of lighting, then you can adapt whatever equipment and supplies you have and make it all work. This post, plus a few others that are linked to here, will tell you everything you need to know to achieve quality, professional-looking lighting for your video production.

By watching these three videos on lighting basics, you will learn everything you need to know about how to get good lighting for a talking head video.

A talking head video is the single most common shot any videographer will ever record so knowing how to light well is critical.

Watch this first video to discover how to get professional-looking lighting on your talking head video.  I show you a technique for easy three point lighting.  The second video shows you even more.   Then the third shows you an incredibly easy and cheap way to drastically improve your lighting.

Watch this second video to discover the difference between direct and diffused light and why you want diffused light on your face.

Watch the third video for a demonstration of how to easily improve your lighting with a piece of paper!

For even more free video tutorials on lighting for video, click here for another detailed post from your friends at Video Production Tips!

Making it Easy!

For easy video production, learn to make use of natural light.  By natural light I mean any light streaming in through the windows or doors and any light coming from any lamp available in the room.  The first thing I always do is see if I can open up the blinds and curtains and let the sun shine in!  I also use simple home light fixtures to supplement that natural light.   You can achieve very professional looking lighting this way, you just need to know a few tips about how to place the lights relative to your subject.

I used the windows and the ceiling light to light this interview.

If you do set up supplemental lights, you don’t need to use fancy lights or professional lights at all.  (Although they are nice!)  I often use desk lamps and floor lamps with regular bulbs or compact florescent bulbs.

I like to use gooseneck lamps because they are easy to point exactly where you want.  Clip on lights are very handy and can be tucked in anywhere.  With these small low-wattage lights you can actually point them directly where you want the light, even if that is right in someone‘s face, it is not too bright or uncomfortable to do that.   Normally you point a light away from someone’s face in order to diffuse it but a low wattage bulb pointed right at someone’s face can highlight the face real well and it will be reasonably diffused due to the white paint inside the glass of the bulb.

Now, home lighting fixtures use regular bulbs, which is fine. Really. Light coming from any source will do for video making.  There are some issues with using light from different sources, like sunlight vs. incandescent.   You might have heard about something called the Kelvin color temperature scale and lighting. That has to do with different light sources providing light of different colors and that can mess up the color of your video.  Sunlight is blue at about 5700 kelvin and incandescent bulbs are orange at 3200 degrees Kelvin.

While this is true, it’s one of those things you do not have to be too concerned with in most cases.  Modern cameras do not have much problem with mixed light.  If your shot looks too orange or too blue, this is probably the issue but more than likely a bit of a mix will be ok.  If you want to learn more about this, read this post on white balancing and color temperature for video.

Let me give you some background information on lighting so you can better understand how to make ANY situation you are in work as best as possible.

When you are talking about light it can be broken into two broad categories.   Direct light and diffused light. There are examples of both all around you.  Let’s first talk about the sun, which is the ultimate light source.   On a sunny day, you have 100% direct light.  The light is glaring down at you and coming from one direction only.    Light travels in a straight line and can bounce, but not bend.  A bright sunny day has harsh, deep, dark shadows.  The edges of the shadow are distinct.

Light becomes diffused when it gets bounced around.  Clouds act to diffuse the sunlight.  The light hits the bright, reflective water particles and bounces around in straight lines and predictable angles.  On a completely overcast day, you have 100% diffused light.  There will not be ANY shadows.  There is so much light bouncing around, that it is essentially coming from everywhere all at the same time.  All shadows get filled in.

Now you know the two extremes of 100% direct and 100% diffused light.  Most light is somewhere in between. The fastest and easiest way to tell is look for shadows.  How dark are the shadows?  How distinct is the line of the shadow?  The more blurry the line of the shadow the more diffused the light.

Room light is usually fairly diffused.  In fact, we as domesticated humans usually go to some effort to diffuse our room light since diffused light is easier on the eyes.  Lamp shades, the inside of light bulbs painted white, all those are efforts to diffuse the light.

If you look at a professional light kit, all the accessories are gizmos and gadgets that exist to either direct your light or diffuse it.   Barn doors are used to direct the light and point it at a small area.  Black aluminum foils are also used for that purpose.

A photographic umbrella is used to bounce the light.  It gives you a moderate level of diffusion.  A soft box gives you a higher level of diffusion than an umbrella.  You also have all kinds of filters, cloths and gels you can buy for your lights to provide diffusion.  They are measured in percentages.

One super easy way to achieve diffused light without having ANY special equipment is to point the light, not at the face, but at the ceiling or a wall. It will bounce against the ceiling or wall and hit the face as diffused light.

Diffused light is kinder to the face.  Diffused light is softer.  Wrinkles, bumps and other imperfections show much less under diffused light.  This means the vast majority of video should be lit with diffused light.

Now that you know about diffused and direct light, the next thing to talk about is what direction the light is coming from.  The direction the light is coming from makes a big difference in lighting.

The biggest mistake I see in talking head videos is bad lighting, with the light coming from BEHIND the person. Light coming from behind the person will create a silhouette.  Sometimes this can look nice and if you are trying to hide someone’s identity, this is what you want.  But 99% of the time, this is the OPPOSITE of what you want.  You want your light falling on the person’s face, not behind it.

Silhouette lighting has its place. This shot of my daughter is gorgeous but you do not want to light a talking head video this way unless you are trying to hide their identity.

I see lots of ceiling light fixtures and other lamps right behind someone’s head in webcam videos.  Position yourself so the light is not behind you. Good lighting is all about positioning.  Experiment around with what you have and make it look as best as possible just by following the basic concepts you have not just learned!

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips, I wish you happy video making!

Lorraine Grula

Lighting is the heart of any video image, since if it weren’t for light the image wouldn’t even exist.

That said, lighting your video doesn’t have to be hard.  In fact it can be amazingly simple.  No matter what situation you find yourself  videotaping, you can get quality lighting if you know a few basic lighting principles.

Discover how to take your video lighting from FLAT to AWESOME by watching these two video tutorials I made. They are below.

In under ten minutes, I promise you will learn more about lighting than you can imagine.

1. The first video covers the basic lighting concepts of diffused light and direct light. I show you exactly what that means and why it matters.  I also talk about the critical aspect of direction: what direction is the light coming from?
2. The second video demonstrates easy ways to get professional-looking lighting even if you do not have professional gear. If you do have professional gear, this video will still help you because the principles of 3-point lighting are universal.

PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING MADE EASY

All the fancy gizmos and gadgets that come in an expensive light kit are meant to provide diffused or direct light, but I promise you do not need the expensive gizmos to get the same basic effect.  I show you how to diffuse and direct your light in a professional way with whatever common household lighting fixtures you have.

Going into further detail, the second video covers easy cheap ways to get 3-point lighting, the professional way to light a talking-head video.  Talking head videos are probably the single most common shot in all of videomaking so no doubt you will encounter this situation.

Three point lighting is also known at triangle lighting, or 3-point lighting.  It basically means that light is coming from at least 3 different places, forming a triangular pattern around the person’s head.

I show you how to get easy triangle lighting using nothing but common household fixtures.  Your desk lamp, the windows.  These things become instant, cheap and easy professional lighting tools if you know how to use them!

I promise if you watch both these video tutorials, you will be armed with the information you need to improve your lighting, no matter what situation you find yourself in.

Leave a comment below and let me know what questions you have about how to light video.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

Quality lighting for video is really a lot easier than you might think. Here is a short video demonstration of how  you can get incredible looking three-point lighting for a talking head video using nothing but inexpensive fixtures you have sitting around the house.

The talking head video is probably the single most common type of video.  It serves so many functions and is really the easiest kind to make.   That doesn’t mean lots of people don’t goof it up though.

To make yours well, the single most important things are decent lighting and decent audio quality.  Today’s post covers lighting.   In this quick five-minute video, watch as I fully explain the easiest way to set up professional quality, triangle lighting using standard home lighting equipment.

As I was setting up to videotape myself the other day, I made a spur of the minute decision to go ahead and roll the camera while I was setting up so you could learn exactly how I do it.  I do it the cheap and easy way!

So as I got ready to work, still wearing my PJ’s with no make-up yet, (Sorry.  Scary, I know.) I rolled tape and yacked at the camera, explaining what I was doing as I turned on each light.

This video demonstration shows you how I went from a dark, empty room to a great looking shot in less than five minutes.  (The make-up part took longer, this video is just about lighting!)  It really all boils down to where the light fixtures are placed and how you define light fixture.

In addition to being a lighting demo, this video also contains a lot of interactive clickable links that I set up through Veeple. I’ve written a lot about Veeple (Here is a great interview I did with the CEO) so this video is a good example of how many different types of interactive features you can add.  As you watch the video, see how you react to them.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

With the hundreds of different video cameras on the market, people can easily get overwhelmed when trying to make a choice about which one to buy.

People often ask me which video camera they SHOULD buy, but of course there is no one perfect camera. Which one you is right for you depends on how you are going to use it, what your expectations are, and what your budget is.

Here is a run down of what features are available for video camcorders so you can better decide what kind of camera is best for YOU. (Full disclosure. I am biased. I love them all!)

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO USE THIS CAMERA?

Are you wanting to make quick and easy videos?

Or, do you want to delve into high-end videography and produce visually superior videos?

Answering this question will help you figure out what basic type of camera you want.  A simple, automatic, point-and-shoot camera is best for many folks but would frustrate a budding indie film producer.

Don’t worry about a simple camera being poor quality.  The two are not necessarily linked.  If you want a camera that is simple to use, there are plenty.  Look for high resolution and quality image sensors.

RECORDING FORMAT

One of your major decisions before buying a video camera is to decide what kind of record format you want.    In other words, does the video get recorded on tapes or an internal hard drive? If it is tape, what kind of tape?

Cameras today also record on memory sticks, memory cards or removable discs.  All of these record formats have their pros and cons.  Some slide easily into video editing programs and some don’t.    If you want to edit the video you take you might want to stick with the sort of old-fashioned mini-dv tape format.

However if you do not want to edit your video, it is certainly more convenient to pop a disc out and play it in your DVD player than to get it converted or plug your camera into the side of your TV so you can watch a mini dv tape.

IMAGE SENSORS

The quality of the picture a video camera gets is largely determined by the quality of the image sensors.  They are what capture the light and turn it into a video image.

Video cameras come with either one image sensor chip or three.  Three is better.  With three, there is an individual chip for the three primary colors of light, red, green and blue.  With one-chip camera, all of that is squished onto one chip.

Chip size also matters.  A 1/3 inch chip would be considered large.  1/6 inch is a common size for less expensive cameras.

AUDIO INPUT

Inexpensive video cameras do not have any way for you to use a supplemental microphone.  You have the on-board microphone, but no way to plug in a hand held or lavalier mic for better sound quality.

High quality sound is probably more important for many videos than high quality video.  If people can not hear what you are saying, they will not bother to watch your video.  If people talking on camera will be important to your productions, (and that’s most videos) look for a camera with an audio input.

Audio inputs will either be small stereo plugs for less expensive models or XLR inputs on higher- end models.  Make sure you buy a microphone with a plug that matches your camera’s input.

MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC?

Higher-end cameras have full manual control.  Manual focus control, manual exposure control, manual white balance, manual audio level control and so forth.  These cameras can also be set to automatic control if you are in a run-and-gun situation, but manual control is prefered by serious videographers.

Manual control however, would drive some people bonkers.   Automatic control makes operating the camera much easier so if you are into easy, you can rest assured that part of what people are paying for with the more expensive cameras is the “luxury” of manual control.  If that is not something you want, why bother getting the fancier camera?

I hope this list of video camera features helps you when selecting a camera to buy.  B&H Photo is a great place to go camera shopping, they have everything!

You can also visit the Video Production Tips Equipment Store, which is an affiliate of B&H Photo. In the VPT Camera Store, I have a smaller selection of just some of my favorites.  Click here to look through the VPT Video Store.

If you have questions about video cameras, contact me anytime!

Lorraine Grula

Internet Video Gal

If you are looking to buy lights for making videos,  you might want to consider using compact fluorescent lights.

Compact Fluorescent lights (compact flo as they are nicknamed) are becoming popular as the new “green” way to light your home and you can find the bulbs almost everywhere now.  They are also being used in video production and they have several distinct advantages over traditional video lights.

Traditional video lights are usually tungsten halogen.  They get HOTTER than a firecracker.  You can easily burn your fingers on them.  I even burned a hole in the wall once when I bounced the light just a little too close.  Oops.

Compact Fluorescent lights on the other hand do not get hot.  That feature, in and of itself, makes me want to buy some.  Sitting under tungsten halogen lights is so hot as to be dreadfully uncomfortable.  They heat up the entire room FAST.  That leads to having to crank up the air conditioner more IF it is not a noisy one.   If it is a noisy one, then it stays off so you get better sound and everyone just roasts.  No fun!

Compact flo lights also use less electricity.  That’s one of the biggest things that make them a “green alternative.”   Compact fluorescent light bulbs crank out an amazing amount of light for the wattage used compared to other kinds of light bulbs.

The light given off by compact fluorescent is nice, soft and diffused.  Every compact flo light bulb I have ever seen is already diffused for you by the addition of white paint to the inside of the glass.  That does not mean you never need to add supplemental diffusion but right out of the box you have some nice diffusion.

The company Videssence is one of the leading providers of compact fluorescent light fixtures for TV and video production.  They sell both standard ceiling mount lights and portable fixtures.  They also have recessed fixtures for video conferencing rooms. (That is not an affiliate link.)

All-in-all, I think compact fluorescent lights are a fantastic addition to the world of video production equipment.  I bet that guy whose wall I burned a hole in would agree.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

The Panasonic AG-DVX100B is a phenomenal camera for video junkies like me and other discriminating camera buffs.   If you want to go to the next level with your video production, then a camera such as the Panasonic AG-DVX 100B is advised. You have complete control over anything you might want and the lens is versatile enough to allow you lots of artistic freedom while you videotape.

Just be advised, if you are looking for simple and easy, this is NOT it, though that does not mean that this camera is difficult. For simple point and go vacation movies, you do not want this kind of camera.

For a higher quality and more involved video production, you DO want this kind of camera. In my opinion, they are a joy to use and really not the least bit difficult once you become familiar with what the heck is what.

The Panasonic AG-DVX100B gives a superior picture and is still small and simple to use as far as higher-grade video cameras go.

Visit the Video Production Tips Video Equipment Store to see this and other fine cameras.

PANASONIC AG-DVX 100B CAMERA FEATURES AND BENEFITS

The image sensing in the Panasonic AG-DVX 100B is the highest quality with 3- 1/3 inch CCD chips.

For superior audio you also have 2 XLR audio inputs. Many professional videographers shooting out in the field always have two microphones  plugged in at the same time. This way, you can have a wireless on your primary speaker along with a shot gun mic for natural sound.  Or, you might have two wirelesses for two different speakers.

For versatility when shooting slow motion, the Panasonic AG DVX100b gives you a variable shutter from 1/24 sec – 1/2000 sec variable shutter.  You can do a lot with a variable shutter on a video camera.

For low light shooting, you have a variable gain control.   Gain selection is 0dB, 3 dB, 6dB, 9dB, 12dB, 18dB

There are two built-in neutral density filters for greater control over depth of field.

1/8 ND (2 Stops)
1/64 ND (4 Stops)

This is absolutely a gorgeous video cam. Costs less than $2,600. Buy it now.  Click here.

The tape record format is dv, the camera uses mini DV tapes. The maximum record time is 60 Minutes with Mini DV Cassette.  This format easily slips into any video editing program.  If editing the video you shoot is essential for you, miniDV is still one of the best choicees in my opinion.

Input and Output Connectors
FireWire- 4-Pin (x 1 input and output)
S-Video- 4-Pin (x 1 input and output)
Composite Video- RCA (x 1 input and output)
Audio- RCA (x 2 input and output)
Mic/Line Input- XLR (x 2 input only)
Headphone- Mini Stereo (x 1 output only)
Remote- Mini Mono (x 1 input only)
Power- Proprietary Connection (x 1 input only)

The zoom lens on the AG-DVX100B video camcorder has 15 lens elements in 11 groups and is far to superior to anything on a small video camera. For a photography buff, the lens is what makes the camera. This is a Leica Dicomar lens.

Lens specifications:
4.5 – 45mm (10 x Optical Zoom) f/1.6
72mm Filter Diameter
Minimum Object Distance= 1.9′ (0.6m)
No Digital Zoom

Leica lenses have been well known for decades as high quality photographic lenses. According to their description, Leica lenses are best because…“One reason is the use of low-dispersion glass to reduce color aberration and increases resolution. Plus, a multi-coating process minimizes flare and ghosting. The results are sharp, crisp, and clear, beautifully rendered images with delicate nuances and exceptional shading.”

Although I always say tripods are best, you can get good optical image stabilization with the AG-DVX100B. Panasonic’s advanced OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) cuts the blurring caused by hand shake. It’s advanced optical processing with an automatic correction function.  Optical processing is always preferable over digital in a camera lens.

Cameras like the AG-DVX100B make it possible for the little guy to compete and produce independent films, shorts, or streaming video and get great quality.

Choose from three shooting modes: 24p (24 fps, progressive) for images with the look and motion of film movies, 30p (30 fps, progressive), or standard 60i (60 fps, interlace).

This video cam is designed to appeal to preofessional level videographers and high level amateur video enthusiasts, so manual control over your camera control is paramount.

The cam-driven (mechanical) manual zoom ring provides the same smooth, easy zooming as cameras with interchangeable lenses. Its direct operation gives you fast, precise zooming control. When you turn the zoom ring, you will experience the familiar steady resistance as with familiar 35mm lenses.

The AG-DVX100B is also equipped with a servo-driven zoom (power driven) that allows for extra slow zooming. Slowest zoom speed has been reduced to a dramatic 30 seconds from 20 seconds.

Focus is quick and easy whether in manual or automatic mode.  In manual mode, the focus ring provides the similar operating feel and responsive control as high level conventional cameras with interchangeable lenses.

In Auto Focus mode, you get the quick, sharp focusing needed when things are hapening rapidly such as in news gathering or documentary style shooting.

They packed a few tricks into this lens.  When set to infinity, the focal distance is immediately prepared for the next manual focus. When in Manual Focus mode, pressing the Push Auto button temporarily activates auto focus.

Macro Focus, my personal favorite,  can be achieved either manually or automatically when the zoom lens is in the wide angle position.  A great macro lens can be responsible for tons of cool shots!

PREPROGRAMED MODES
When videotaping, you often face quickly changing situations. The AG-DVX100B prepare for that by having three programmable user buttons, each of which can be assigned any one of the 11 functions.

White balance and black balance functions are easy to make swiftly on the Panasonic AG-DVX100B. Only one-button punch is required and you have 3 preset memories. You also have auto-tracking white balance.

Just press the Auto button to turn on Auto Iris, Auto Gain, Auto Tracking White Balance, and Auto Focus and you are quickly ready to shoot. You can also customize the Auto button by removing functions and setting the gain to any value desired. With this new Auto function, the AG-DVX100B gives you the best of both worlds- the speed and artistry.

If you are one of these videographers who enjoy shooting in different aspect rations, this camera would be to your liking. The AG-DVX100B has three modes for shooting 16:9 widescreen images. You can also use the optional 16:9 conversion lens (AG-LA7200G, sold separately) to take full advantage of the higher image quality made possible by using all of the CCD pixels.

With the standard lens, you can record in letterbox mode or the newly added Squeeze mode. This gives you extra flexibility when using the AG-DVX100B together with equipment from other manufacturers. Activating the Aspect Ratio function on the LCD allows for a letterbox display for easier framing when shooting in Squeeze Mode or when using the Anamorphic lens.

REMOTE SHOOT WITH MULTIPLE CAMERAS?
If you need to edit out in the field or need to rapidly synch multiple camera shoots, the AG-DVX100B can be a handy little camera/vcr combo to have. Connecting two AG-DVX100B units together with a FireWire cable (IEEE1394) allows synchronous time-code setting, which then enables time-code-locked editing of clips recorded with multiple camcorders for “TC synchro editing.”

Focus and iris setting can be turned into a remote control functionality, which can make some remote shoots much more productive.

An IEEE 1394-compliant 4-pin DV terminal features a synchro lock function allows the AG-DVX100B to remotely start and stop an external DV device connected to it via a DV cable.

This feature is enhanced by the addition of three recording modes help protect against mistakes: record only onto the external recorder, record onto both the AG-DVX100B and the external recorder, begin external recording when the AG-DVX100B tape end

For under $2,600, the Panasonic AG-DVX100B is incredible if I do say so myself! It gets close competition with the Cannon GL-2 or Sony DSR-PD 170, all of which are available in my Video Production Tips Store.  Click here.

The incredible Panasonic HDC-HS100 video camera won my affection because it has it all for the incredibly low price of  under $600.

First, it’s a hybrid that records HD quality on either an internal hard drive with an amazing 60 GB space or an SD memory card. Impossible to run out of record space with that set-up! HD quality and no tapes.  (There are actually pros and cons to that, more about that later.)

Another feature I like is that the HDC-HS100 has microphone and headphone inputs, which is a huge benefit and rarely found on cameras of this price range. If you want quality audio for someone speaking into the camera, you are best off using a supplemental microphone you plug into the camera. Most small camcorders do not have any place to plug in a mic, which is their #1 drawback for serious video production.  But the Panasonic HDC-HS100 does.

Not only is it HD quality, but this camera gives you 3 images sensors, which gives much better color depth and clarity than just one image sensor. Panasonic calls it the own 3MOS sensor.

Although the camera can be set to totally automatic for easy shooting, if you want, you also get manual control over these functions: Aperture, Shutter Speed, Gain, Audio, Focus, White Balance, Digital Cinema Color, 24P Cinema Color, Guidelines, Shooting Guide, Face Framing, Zebra, Luminance, and Histogram.

If you are any kind of video aficionado, you will appreciate manual control over these functions. In particular, I get frustrated with not having manual focus control.  Automated functions do make it easier, true.  But automated functions do not always read the situation accurately, so I like to have human control.

Another plus to this camera that makes it a cut above others in its price range is the image stabilization. Shaky video is big video no-no, so image stability features have become popular in video cameras. Panasonic claims to be a “leader” (don’t they all?) This camera has image stabilization called the Advanced O.I.S. image stabilization, which is supposed to correct for handshake and sway at a rate of 4,000 times per second. The O.I.S. detects movement and triggers the lens to shift in order to compensate for the movement in your recording. This is awesome, but honestly, don’t let that think you should not use a tripod if the situation calls for it. Image stabilization technology can never equal a rock solid tripod shot in terms of time efficiency and quality.

As if all that weren’t enough for one small video camera, the Panasonic hdc-hs100 has a face recognition feature. No, it is not designed to find terrorists; rather it is to help get better skin tones and exposure. By detecting up to 15 faces in a single frame, the HS100 automatically corrects for exposure, contrast, skin complexion, effect and focus.

Now remember, this is an HD camera, so it records in AVCHD format. Editing software is beginning to be able to handle AVCHD but if editing is your main goal, keep in mind you will have a few extra hurdles to jump converting your footage.  This is the main con against this camera when I mentioned pros and cons earlier.  If editing your footage is one your main goals with video, HD is a hard format to work with.  Not impossible by any stretch, but certainly not as easy as the good old standby, miniDV.

The Panasonic HDC-HS100 is truly a fantastic camera for under $600. This is the kind of camera that makes me love the business I am in.  Click here to visit the video production tips Store and see the Panasonic HDC-HS100 and other fine video equipment sold by B&H Photo.