Video Lighting comparison with and without the Continuous Lighting Set I recently ordered from Amazon, as mentioned in this post.
As you can see, there's a HUGE difference. I'm using the ePhoto 3200 Watt Digital Photography Photo Video Continuous Light Kit. It's inexpensive, super easy to set up (no tools required) and very portable.
Best,
Credit goes to Monique Johnson of Both Sides of the Camera for the lighting setup recommendation. (Thank you!) π
That is a really nice light source. I've only started in maybe November or so to really get into vlogging and doing it on a consistent basis. I had been doing it on my web cam and using natural light. I'm doing the slow upgrade. I just got a new camera last week (Canon SX 510 HS) and a new mic (Blue Snowball). I'll give that a go for at least the month of April, so I can get used to trying out different rooms and areas to set up. The next step will be lightening.
There was a film maker who used his Iphone to make a short film. His lighting was superb and it looked awesome. Lighting is definitely a huge factor. I'm going to save this vid for when I'm ready to upgrade the lighting.
You're right - the lighting is everything, no matter what you use to shoot the actual video. It makes a HUGE difference. π I have a Canon Vixia - the Canon's are great cameras! Here's a breakdown of my video hardware & software:
http://www.clicknewz.com/3224/video-editing/
As for microphones, I've tried several, and really like the Blue Yeti (the Snowball you have is just as great!):
http://www.clicknewz.com/2453/blue-yeti/
And here's a "Virtual Tour" of my entire Home Office (or most of it lol, it's a big room):
http://www.clicknewz.com/2763/my-home-office/
Have fun with your video blog!! π
I'm considering getting a Blue Nessie. π
It was recommended to me because of it's ability to auto-enhance the audio.
So you don't have to do it yourself afterwards.
Lookin good Lyn though you look more tanned in the shot without the lights.
LOL Herman. π I *am* fair skinned, but it's also the end of March. Soon I'll be back out on the boat and in the sun, and tan again. So looking forward to summer! Which also means more hours of natural daylight and more colorful backgrounds... for ideal video settings. π
It is a striking difference. And if the picture looks too dark, why even bother shooting video. I watched several of these virally successful channels, like a guy describing how to prepare a cup of tea and wondered how that cr...ppy lighting would "sell". Until a video producer pointed out to me, that most actually do use lighting, even if to make it look as if they didn't. It's like foley in feature films: those guys who walk the steps again and have that walking noise dubbed over Cary Grant's original gait as otherwise it would not sound "right". So we have to distort lighting and sound to make it look or sound right in media production. Slightly (ok, grossly) off-topic: in Ireland in the nineteen seventies, the post office's services booklet told me: "if you are blind, you are entitled to a free television license". Now first of all, that booklet wasn't printed in Braille, so how would a blind person every know about that. But my point is this: when listening to many marketers' videos, they are really podcasts, the picture of the person ads nothing to the content, (often, really). Then in theory, lighting would make little difference. But if we watch we want to see, even if the sight had nothing to do with the (spoken/oral) information. That said, I find, if video was used, it should be spruced up a little by adding a slide or two to grab the viewers' attention and not making them wonder why they are watching instead of just listening.
Good points Dermot! π
The lighting makes a big difference in your video, Lynn. I recently found that switching to "daylight" light bulbs for my lamps prevented my office videos from turning out yellow and making it look like I was suffering from jaundice. π
I do intend to get a lighting kit, such as the one you bought from Amazon, but until I can rearrange my office to make room for the lights, the daylight light bulbs do the trick.
Thanks for showing us the difference in lighting!
I'm really happy with the kit so far. It'll come in VERY handy in the winter months when there is less daylight to work with. π
Speaking of space, I'm looking at a way to mount them on my wall - easily, so they can also be taken down and moved to the kitchen or another area without any trouble. I prefer to have the floor space - especially with two great danes romping around. π
It's surprising just how much of a difference the lighting makes in the video that was taken. Goes to show that it's worth spending extra effort getting the right conditions before recording anything.
I agree Paul - and this was inexpensive and easy enough to make the difference worth it. π
It looks like you've seen the light! :O
And yes, the difference is indeed Huge! π