Lighting is essential for producing YouTube videos that seem professional. With the right lighting, you can produce polished, well-lit looks that are consistent from video to video using YouTube.

All types of YouTube videos, from vlogs to complete studio productions, can profit from a focused lighting arrangement. The best lights for YouTube videos will provide you additional creative freedom and enable you to film regardless of natural lighting for results that are color accurate and flicker-free.

Additionally, a great investment is specialized video illumination. As photographic technology develops, cameras and lenses become antiquated, yet good lighting is rarely out of style.

Every level of content producer can find video lights in various designs and pricing ranges. Below is a short buying guide and our list of the top lights for YouTube videos to assist you in choosing the finest video light for you in addition to 8 tips for effectively using the light sources for YouTube video production.

This post will offer some fantastic affordable lighting solutions for you, whether you're searching for a more sophisticated YouTube studio lighting configuration or one that you can easily set up at home.

Even though the majority of YouTube lighting setups begin with a single light, having a plan might be useful. The most typical lighting system uses three lights: a key light, a fill light, and a background light.

Your main light, or key light, is typically the brightest. This light illuminates your topic and decides how exposed your setting is overall. Depending on the effect you want, how it is placed will vary, but generally speaking, 45 degrees away from your subject is a good place to start.

The fill light is typically slightly dimmer and placed on the reverse side of your subject from the key, mirroring it. The brightness of this light, which is used to fill in any shadows left by the key light, can be adjusted to your preference. Aiming for a gentle, vibrant look? Elevate the fill light. Looking for a little moodier music? Reduce the fill light just a bit.

Finally, a backdrop light is utilized to brighten the area behind your subject, as the name suggests. This light may establish the mood of your video and give your scene a sense of space. Almost any kind of video light can be used to illuminate your background, but specialized background lights with color-changing capabilities can create a more professional look.

Not every form of film will work with the three-point light arrangement, and it's not necessary to run out and acquire three different lights right now, especially if you're just starting out. But when deciding which light to purchase initially, it can be helpful to keep this setup in mind.

One has to realize that when it comes to the lighting set-up approach; there is no guarantee that one approach will work for everyone as every YouTube content maker has their own peculiar style, from unfiltered vlogs to elaborate studio settings. A compact, portable, lightweight choice would probably work best for you if you frequently film on the go. Get the kind of light that uses batteries as a power source as well as directly connects to your phone or camera with ease. The most effective forms of light sources are ring-shaped lights and small LEDs.

As things progress, you could start using lights that are powered by mains if your production is being carried out in a temporary studio located outside your home. Bigger LED light panels are more suitable as they allow for appreciable levels of brightness and are still collapsible after filming. Larger-diameter ring lamps are another fantastic choice to consider since they are capable of shining on items from all directions and may offer outstanding one-light coverage.

Since you are unlikely to be too concerned with mobility, a larger production house-style light might prove better suited for more permanent sets. Studio lights often have the largest power and the greatest variety of light filters and accessories, allowing you to tailor the light to your particular needs.

The challenge, however, is that they often require larger bases and heavier light diffusers, necessitating more set-up space.

The brightness setting for your video light should be determined by the kind of light and the way you want to use it. Most video lights identify their relative brilliance in lumens, with 800 lumens being roughly equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent light bulb and 1500 lumens being roughly equivalent to a 100-watt bulb.

If the light is more adjustable and brighter, you'll be able to capture your movies at a lower ISO for cleaner footage. Although more expensive and heavier lights tend to be brighter, it can sometimes be equally effective to move a dimmer light just slightly closer to your subject.

When working with images or videos, you should be aware of a light's color rendering measure, or CRI rating. You need to be aware of how close to real life the colors are going to appear when illuminated by the light in order to achieve appropriate skin tones. The CRI is the source of this data. Although any light with a rating of 90 or higher should work just fine, the higher the rating, the better.

If you plan to employ mixed lighting, the color temperature of the light is especially important. You've perhaps seen that even though light used indoors can appear warm and yellow, while radiant sunlight can feel quite chilly and blue. Most of the light sources for videos come programmed with a kelvin value of about 5500K daylight color temperature. 

Purchasing only daylight-balanced lights will work well if you intend to record using only specialized video lights. However, you'll need a source of light that can be adjusted to 3200K or a tungsten-based setting if you want to replicate the warmer indoor illumination if your plan is to shoot with both conventional incandescent lights and video lights.

When tackling a video or film project, there are many different factors to take into account. A shot can be affected by factors like setting, how ambient light is used, shifting lighting conditions, shadows, and natural light. A main light, fill light, and backlight provide the best starting point when arranging lighting for any shot. These taken together will provide a foundation on which to build. This method has been widely employed in cinematography over the years and is a wonderful place to start to master the basics of efficient lighting.

There are two important considerations you should keep in mind before we begin when lighting your video content.

Lighting is a form of art. Lighting has a significant impact on how the entire video looks and feels. So remember what we've taught you in this guide, and then use these various elements to express your creativity.

First, pay attention to lighting you or the subject of your video. Don't be concerned about the surroundings or what is occurring behind you. Making sure your audience is paying attention to you and the stuff you are delivering is of utmost importance. The background lighting can then be examined if you have additional time or light.

Using large light sources is more effective in removing possible facial shadows on the subject. These large light sources are usually deployed as the key light in the lighting set-up by film production companies.

The degree to which your shadows are "soft" (smooth, feathery edges) or "hard" (distinctive, sharp edges) depends on the size of a light source in relation to the subject size. Shadows can be softened by greater light sources whereas harsher and more visible edges result from using smaller light sources. In studio lighting, expanding modifiers like an umbrella, softbox, or similar diffuser is placed between the light source and the subject if you want a softer appearance. 

This relative size state causes the distance between the light source and the subject to have an impact on the softness of the shadows as well. If the light source is positioned closer to the subject; the shadows will certainly be softer. Taking the light source farther away from the shadows makes it more difficult to record and lower their size relative to the subject.

For this purpose, a video for YouTube can use powerful led lights like the Neweer LED Panel. The Neewer LED panel enables YouTube video creators of all levels of skill to be able to find simple and cost-effective solutions to their lighting needs.

The light is brilliant, color-accurate, allows color temperature control and has a diffusion filter for results that are more aesthetically pleasing on a wider range of faces. Neewer's panel has a metal u-bracket that enables you to easily tilt the light, making it substantially more user-friendly. Cheaper LED panels mount securely to a light stand.

Contrary to what many video producers believe; a more effective lighting set-up is to use fewer light sources as possible. Basically, your YouTube video light setup should use the Three Point Lighting setup.

 In still photography and video production, three-point lighting is the industry standard. Three light sources are used, each in one of three possible locations. It is possible to alter the mood of a photograph by adjusting the size, distance, magnitude, and placement of various light sources, as well as the degree of their angle.

- Key Light. The three-point lighting setup's main and brightest light source is this one. It determines a scene's general exposure. This main light is often placed on a light stand at a 45-degree angle to the camera and somewhat to the front of the subject. This gives the subject's face depth and dimension by casting shadows on the opposite side of the face. A scene's mood is established by the main light. It can produce a subtle picture (high contrasts, dark shadows, and highly moody) or a high-key image (evenly, softly illuminated, and atmospherically upbeat), depending on where it is and the supplementary lights employed in the overall illumination.

- Fill light: This light, which mirrors the key light on the other side of the camera, physically fills in the shadowy areas that the primary light casts on a subject, bringing out features in the shadows. Cinematographers can manage the overall mood of their images by adjusting how much they lighten or dim the fill light, which is often less bright than the key light. A more intense light with a lesser, harmonious fill ratio gives the subject a more balanced look, whereas a dim fill light with a high fill ratio produces a high-contrast, film noir-style shadow. 

A reflector, bounce card, wall, or any other object that reflects light back onto the subject to lighten the shadows can serve as the second light in a photograph. The fill light establishes a scene's ambiance in conjunction with the key light.

- Backlight: The last source of illumination in this lighting configuration, the backlight illuminates a subject from the back and completes the setup. It is also referred to as the "rim light" or the "hair light." This separates the subject from the background and gives them depth by creating a rim of light or outline around their head. The backlight is typically set up in front of the subject or sufficiently elevated to be out of the picture, opposite the key light, and aimed at the subject's neck.

The third tip to be carefully considered when setting up the lighting for a YouTube video is the distance of the light sources to the subject of the video. It is important that all of the light in use are carefully positioned to remove unwanted shadows from the subject as well as the area of the picture frame.

Where shadows fall depends on where your lights are placed in relation to the subject and the camera. If your key light depicts the sun, it should precisely match the angle and elevation of the light source. This pertains once again to sensibly building an environment. The picture will have either bright, uniform light or dim, gloomy shadows, subject to where you position your fill and backlight.

The access of the light should be such that the illumination of the subject receives sufficient and balanced soft lights across the face. This of course can be achieved by using beauty lighting (overhead light), as well as placing the source light at a 45° angle to the position of the subject. Getting the ratios between the light source and the video subject’s face as well as between the subject and the foreground and background right is equally essential to producing a professional-looking YouTube video. 

In terms of lighting design for movies, backlighting is crucial. Any light source can be utilized used as a backlight, however, a backlight only qualifies if the light emanates from behind the subject, which is the only need.

Backlighting, also referred to as the hair or shoulder light, aids in the differentiation of the subject from the background with greater contrast and apparent sharpness, which helps to create a three-dimensional scene.

When your hair or clothes merge in with the background, backlights become even more crucial. Once more, you may create a unique appearance by using a huge softbox as a backlight in combination with a window light as a key. Alternatively, you could just put one of these tiny, dimmable LEDs on a light stand and I'd have it right where I want it.

Avoiding an excessive amount of mixed video illumination is a smart idea. Even experienced video producers sometimes face difficulties using of light sources with different color signatures, such as halogen lamp light, which is warm, and fluorescent lamp light, which is chilly. As a result, it is advisable to avoid adjusting color temperatures when initially starting off.

It can be challenging for your camera sensors to adjust the white balance in the picture when there are different lighting conditions present. Depending on how the cameras perceive this, you may end up with photographs that are extremely warm, yellow, or pale, blue.

You will experience an unexpected light combination on your face if a lamp emits warm tungsten light while also receiving cooler light from a window.

Your camera sensor may experience some damage from the mixed lighting when it attempts to automatically white balance the conflicting lighting. You may wind up with photos that are extremely warm and yellow or extremely pale and blue, depending on how the sensor white balances.

Turn off the bulb and stay with natural lighting if your camera is having trouble adjusting to the various color temperatures.

Understanding the setting you will be working in before starting a film or video project is essential to making sure the lighting setup and placement are appropriate for the surroundings. It might be necessary to give this some consideration and planning. Lighting needs will often depend on the kind of situation or the objective of the recording whether it is an interview, a close-up shot, an outdoor shot, or a recording of more than one subject. If you are working outdoors, in a studio, or in a room with little natural light from windows, it is crucial to take this into account. These factors form the basis for modifying the area to produce suitable and useful light to operate with.

Check out your setup. Set up your lights after deciding on their purpose, size, distance, intensity, and position. This will allow you to precisely examine how each light interacts with the others and assess whether or not the effect is what you had in mind. If not, make necessary corrections until everything is ideal.

Although the planning and execution required for video or film production can occasionally seem overly laborious and complicated, it is ultimately beneficial. Less time will need to be spent in the editing suite the longer it takes to ensure the lighting is perfect the first time. If the lighting is poor or does not match the other components of your finished project, it may affect the overall aesthetic and shooting quality of your movie or film. 

Lighting on a set can be the most time-consuming and frustrating aspect, but it is important to give it the proper care because it is always easier to make modifications while filming than in post-production, where fewer alterations are feasible.

Here are seven incredibly simple yet powerful video lighting strategies you can apply to instantly improve and add a dramatic feel to your YouTube video production without needing to purchase an expensive camera or lighting setup. 

Despite the setup being straightforward, there is a reason why thousands of video producers and commercial production houses employ the same lighting across all of their channels. It's effective! You are ready to begin once you have a high-quality camera, a reliable microphone, and a carefully planned lighting setup. The only aspect of your material that needs to be of high quality is what you are putting out there. Although we aren't really able to assist you, you'll look fantastic presenting it!