ÜberzeugenUncategorized / Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Present yourself in the right light – optimal lighting for video meetings
Danja
I recently had another online event, and the speaker was sitting in the dark. She hadn't turned on her light, so I could barely see her. You can get light from almost anywhere, even just a desk lamp. But many people forget how important good lighting is for video meetings. Lighting has a huge impact on how professional you appear. Many speakers and presenters are still invisible even with lighting because the light is coming from behind them. How can you do better? To help you avoid this mistake in your online meetings, here are a few tips.
To avoid shadows on your face, the light should come from the front, not from the side or behind. For example, I placed two softboxes slightly to the side in front of me to illuminate myself as best as possible.
Your lighting should be much larger than your head; in other words, the beam of light illuminating you needs to be wide to avoid shadows. Softboxes are particularly well-suited for this, and I personally like to use them (see image). Don't have a large light source? No problem! You can place a small but very bright light further away to widen the beam. The important thing is that your entire face is illuminated and no shadows are visible.
Number 1: Window light
Daylight is an ideal light source that you should definitely use whenever possible. However, you should never have the window behind you, otherwise you'll be barely visible. Ideally, the light should come from the front and slightly to the side, because otherwise the different lighting conditions between the screen and the window could give you a headache.
Diffuse light for softer shadows
Diffused light softens shadows and also makes wrinkles disappear. Some lamps allow you to adjust this, but you can also create diffused light yourself. Simply take a sheet of paper or a sheet and place it in front of your light source. The light shining through the paper or sheet will be softer.
Better too much than too little
Studios deliberately use multiple light sources to prevent shadows. With just one light, it's easy for one side of your face to be in shadow. Therefore, it's better to use two lamps instead of one to ensure even lighting. This will prevent unwanted shadows and overexposed sides of your face.
Here's a very professional way to light yourself. It works like this: Sit upright in front of your camera, with your nose pointing towards 12 o'clock. Place one light at 10:30, one at 1:30, and another directly in front of you at 12 o'clock. The two side lights should be slightly below eye level, and the center light slightly above. This works wonderfully with softboxes, but also with smaller light sources. If possible, use adjustable LED panels with diffused light or softboxes for the side lights, and a ring light for the center.
Something many people often forget: light reflects off glasses! It's important to position the light source slightly higher and direct it downwards. However, keep in mind that this might create shadows under your nose and chin. A small bounce card can help eliminate these shadows, and you can easily make one yourself from a small piece of foam board. It's best to use a softbox instead of a directional light to avoid reflections in your glasses. If your computer screen is reflecting, simply turn down the brightness.
Softboxes are great and my absolute favorite for optimal lighting in video meetings. However, this type of lighting is more of a fixed solution for home or office use and not suitable for taking on business trips. You need a portable solution that can be set up and taken down quickly. A ring light can help you with this. It usually consists of just a few parts that are easy to assemble and disassemble and are also easy to transport. Most ring lights are dimmable and can even adjust the color temperature. Additionally, you can adjust the height and angle of the light source for optimal illumination. However, the circular light pattern creates the familiar ring-shaped reflections in the eyes, which might look great for influencers and photos, but are less advisable for professional meetings. Therefore, the ring light isn't always the best choice.
The Key Light Air by Elgato is a good alternative. It's a diffused light where you can individually adjust the brightness, color temperature, angle, and height. It connects to your computer or smartphone and can be easily controlled via an app.
Another alternative is an LED video light, such as the one from RaLeno. This also provides soft light, and you can adjust brightness, color temperature, angle, and height directly on the device. The light panel mounts to a tripod with a thread, allowing you to use any tripod with a compatible thread. This light can be powered by battery or AC adapter, whereas the Key Light Air only works with an AC adapter. While the RaLeno light is less expensive, it also appears to be of slightly lower quality than the Elgato Key Light Air.
Regardless of which light you prefer, both are great, portable, and easy-to-use alternatives to softboxes and ring lights.
In conclusion: For optimal lighting in online meetings, you need to consider a few things. Ensure a light source shines on your face from the front or slightly to the side. Daylight is ideal; alternatively, a softbox will work. You can also use ring lights or other portable lights, but be mindful of potential reflections if you wear glasses. If you take my tips to heart, you'll project a professional image in your video meetings and finally shine.
Would you like to learn more about how to make your online charisma shine and create a professional online presence? Then you might also be interested in this article: Professionelle Hintergründe bei Online Meetings
You want to boost your online charisma and shine professionally in video meetings and webinars? Feel free to contact me. I offer one-on-one and group training and also love to inspire with keynote speeches.
Warm regards
Danja Bauer