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Some Serious Lighting – Some rights reserved by Reinis Traidas
Far from just making it more likely people watching your video will see what’s happening on the screen, lighting has a huge impact on the viewer. With the right lighting you can control the mood of your video, emphasize elements in the frame, add color and texture and change the appearance of the people in your shot to look a certain way or evoke a certain emotion.
If one picture is worth a thousand words, then just imagine how much more you can say at thirty frames a second! Looking to add drama to your shot? Add shadows. Side lighting creates long shadows and reveals texture. An object or a persons face with lots of character can be made more (or less) dramatic depending upon the amount of shadow used. Think of a tall tree at sunset with the sun just on the horizon and how much those long shadows can say about the mood.
Lighting an object or person from behind reveals form. The outline it creates helps to separate it from whatever is in the background. Also, depending upon the amount (and quality) of the light, that outline can be enhanced to give your subject a halo, and thus, make them appear angelic.
If your aim, however, is to use lighting to hide imperfections, throwing light at it from the front reduces shadows (and as a result, texture). Ever wonder why they always light models from the front? Now you know. That’s why they also often call front lighting “glamour lighting.” While it is very effective, unfortunately, it is also the least dramatic and most flat and boring.
But it’s not just the direction of the light that can lend impact, but also how hard or soft your lighting is. Larger light sources tend to be softer, offering less hard-edged shadows. Soft lights create softer, less defined, shadows. That is why most people look better under softer lights.
Now don’t mistake light hardness for light intensity. Light intensity is the sheer volume of light being directed onto a subject, the overall brightness. Light intensity is a very important consideration The more light you have, the greater the contrast between your lit areas and your shadow areas. Making the shadows darker makes a shot more dramatic, thus contrast ratio can be used to enhance or alter the mood of your scene.
It should also go without saying that you can also use light color to make a dramatic impact. By changing the color hues of light applied to the background and making it seem slightly dark blue or even purple, you can add more depth to your shot. Watch your favorite movies and TV shows closely and you will begin to see colored hues being used in the background. You can also change the hue of your lights to make them seem more natural if that’s what your shot requires. Often changing the color of a light source is as easy as adding a “gel”, a sheet of semi-transparent plastic made specifically for such a purpose.
So don’t just think of lighting as a necessity, use it to your advantage to amplify the effect of your shots. Say goodbye to flat lighting forever and light your next video with the kind of impact it deserves.
To learn more about lighting your online video shoots (plus any other tips you might need!), please visit the How To section on Watch.tv.
Do you have any tips for lighting your online video? Send us a tweet or comment here, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.
