Highlights:
- Support the atmosphere with sufficient lighting!
- Let the camera show your best!
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with your surroundings!
Good lighting is very important, since it can significantly enhance the overall impression of your room. It is better to use indoor lighting, from multiple light sources. The light should not come from behind, since it can blind the camera. Make sure it is neither too bright, nor too dark in your camera area.
There are a few general, lighting-related recommendations you could follow to improve the general quality of your camera feed:
- Don’t use your screen(s) as a light source. If you sit by a desk, try using desk lamps instead - you can put one behind your computer, or one to each sides. If you decide to use a desk lamp, you can try taping a sheet of wax / baking paper to its open front, where the light bulb is, to diffuse and soften the harsh neon. The advantage of softer, diffused lights over harsh neon lights is that as they are more evenly distributed on you, they will not burn your camera feed out, and you can avoid shiny patches on your face and forehead. Make sure to only use paper that is able to handle some heat, and not to tape it too close to the bulb to avoid any fire risks.
- Lights (like a window or a lamp) should not be behind your back, as you or any details in the foreground will not be properly visible - you will end up looking like a dark silhouette instead. If you have to go online having a window behind your back, for example, due to the small size of your room, please make sure that shutters are closed and that there is no light coming in from there.
- Avoid cluttered / untidy / small-patterned backgrounds. Not only they may decrease the quality of your camera feed by being visually noisy, they may also be distracting for viewers. If you have no means to change an cluttered background behind you, you can try hanging up a plain, solid-colored sheet instead.
- Don’t use just one but multiple light sources. Ideally, you should be lit from the top, and your sides too. This is recommended to ensure that you are evenly lit, and there are no burnt-out or dark patches on you. Softer light is preferred over harsh neon lights, therefore, we advise you to try taping a sheet of wax / baking paper to its open front, where the light bulb is, to diffuse and soften the harsh neon. Make sure to only use paper that is able to handle some heat, and not to tape it too close to the bulb to avoid any fire risks.
Whichever way you choose, don’t be afraid to reorganize your surroundings, play with colors, lights and decorations to see how can they support and suite you the best. After all, you will be able to shine bright while you enjoy yourself, feel sparkling and beautiful!