Studio Lights
As a content creator, you need to present yourself in the best light when you're on camera. To do this you need to have a great video studio set up.
But, if your video studio doesn't have the right studio lights, it can make you look bad on film - and no one wants that.
Whether you're getting professional headshots taken for LinkedIn or googling how to set up a YouTube video studio, for your YouTube channel - good lighting can make or break a shoot.
So in this short article, I'll give you my top tips for creating a video studio with professional quality studio lights.
But just having studio lights alone won't guarantee that your video studio will make you look good on camera.
You have to know the angles to set up your studio lights at, to ensure that you look great on camera when filming yourself in your video studio.
Home Studio Tips
Did you know?
Your face will look grainy and distorted if you have dim lights. Lighting is everything. With a few simple tweaks you can create a great looking video for your podcast, or YouTube channel.
3-Point Lighting
The secret to getting the best home studio lighting set up is to purchase the right studio lights, and position them at specific angles to create the Rembrandt lighting effect.
Where you have a triangle of light under one eye and/or the half shadow on your face that looks cinematic and dynamic and interesting.
The real secret to getting great lighting is like parallel compression in audio engineering, aka the New York dirty mix where you balance differing compression levels with effects to balance 3 types of sound. From echo and reverb to compression to EQ cutting out the mids, it's a balance.
That secret is also like sailing, as you cannot sail directly into the wind but at an angle balancing the 2 sides of the ship with the 3rd force of the wind.
You have to balance the fill lights with the key lights and the back lights for the best 3-Point Lighting set up.
So, I'll let you have a sneak peak into my home studio set up with studio lights that I call:
The 5 Piece Video Studio
Equipment List
1. Main Key Light: Aputure Amaran 60D link Amaran
Your main key light is used with the:
2. GVM Lantern Softbox Soft Light link
And the Amaran 60D, used with the GVM Lantern softbox:
The Amaran key light is covered by the GVM Lantern Softbox, and the Amaran key light is mounted to the:
3. Neewer Heavy Duty Light Stand with Casters (wheels).
And attached to the Neewer stand is the:
4. Camera Clamp Camera
Which of course connects to:
5. SLR Camera
Sony A6300 4K video
Fill Lights, Backlights
Backlight | Brand Color:
These are my main 2 lights that support the Amaran Key Light, with the RBG LED light by Neewer as the backlight.
And my main fill lights are softbox only fill lights - the 700 watts is a great fill light that creates dramatic impactful facial lighting like the Rembrandt effect.
And since the RGB light doesn't come with a neewer light stand, you'll need to buy that too for the RGB Neewer light.
Here's the one I have:
Neewer Light Stand
You can get this one. But...
If I were to buy again today, I'd buy this Neewer stand instead for the backlight and RGB LED light:
Get the Better Neewer Light Stand here
Mic
I'm using the RØDE Lav II
Premium Mic
(with an Extension Cable from Rode)
I plug the Rode Lav mic directly into my Sony a6300 SLR camera, so that it syncs audio and video at the same time.
This helps keep a lav mic in place on your shirt.
Don't want to use a lav mic? You can buy a boom arm or a desktop condenser mic stands and use it with a condenser mic.
What's the Best Condenser Mics for Video Studios?
I have Rode Pod Mic
which if I'm not using a Lav mic, is what I'd record with.
Connect the SLR Camera to your Laptop:
4K Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable (6 feet)
Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable (3.3FT)
Mic Positioning
Rode Lav Mic:
The center of the chest, just beneath the bottom of the camera frame. I use the gaffer tape to secure the mic in place to not record extra sounds.
Non Lav Mic:
Mari Smith keeps hers directly under her chin facing up. Some Content Creators like to have the mic as an off screen Boom Mic.
If the choice is on camera or off camera mic - sound quality should be the deciding factor. You want crisp professional recording sound.
Condenser mics are famous for this sound, when you have good close-mic-ing techniques. So, if the mic is off camera on a boom arm, just make sure it's still close enough to not record room noise.
If it's on camera, have the boom arm come from the side to the left or right of your mouth. Or like Mari Smith directly underneath your chin, both get good recording quality.
Vital SLR Camera Accessories
[Find Your Camera Brand Versions of This]
128 gig SD memory card for SLR Camera:
This prevents your camera from automatically stopping your video after 10-20 minutes.
You may need to find the brand of SD card that works best for your camera.
But the important part is get 128 gig size.
And on this same topic of not being frustrated when your video stops recording...battery life is another thing that when it runs out.
AND like the memory on SD cards, will stop the video from completing its recording.
You solve that with a dummy battery that has a cord plugging into an AC outlet in the wall:
And like the SD card you'll need to find an SLR power adapter that fits your digital camera.
Content Creator Mobile Studio
Alright yall so for those of us also building a large social media influencer following...
..On Facebook or Instagram
(as TikTok may be banned from USA soon I'm leaving it out for now)
or YouTube - you need a good mobile video studio set up.
If your video has a strong enough hook, it won't matter if your video isn't perfect.
But if your audio is bad, no follower on social media will forgive this.
Introducing:
Rode AI-Micro USB Audio Interface,Black
When you record a microphone into your phone or computer directly
-like a USB Snowball mic-
You'll get basic bish quality audio.
But, when you add in a preamp, it levels up your audio to studio quality.
All by filtering the sound from the microphone through an EQ.
This is before it hits your Macbook or iPhone or Android etc
The Rode AI-Micro does just that. It's a miniature preamp.
And you don't have to deal with googling the right cables to buy to connect it to your phone or laptop.It comes with every cable you could need, making it a great addition to your creator studio on-the-go.
For a hands-free recording session a lav mic is a great choice.
And Rode is a trusted brand that always delivers studio quality audio.
Lav mics are great as they pin to your shirt.
This is so you can talk to your fans looking at the camera, using your hands to express yourself.
And point when necessary to illustrate what you're saying.
Rode's Lav II Premier Mic stands head and shoulders above most lav mics for quality. Ready to take your mobile recording studio to the next level?
Rode's Lav mic when plugged into the AI-Micro creates a super high quality sound, that will not disappoint your IG Reel or FB Reel viewers.
It is wonderful if you're building a brand and becoming an influencer or thought leader through creating high quality content on your social media pages as this little set up fits in your pocket.
Background | Backdrop for Filming Part 1
Closing thoughts:
Cam Clamp & Background Paper
Camera Clamp
If I were to do this again:
I'd pay more money for a higher quality camera clamp.
The current clamp does it's job well.
I've left my Sony a6300 SLR clamp attached for days to the Neewer Heavy Duty Light Stand with wheels
(which has been amazing, this stand is the best light stand I've ever bought)
- and it's held up just fine.
No issues with how securely the camera clamp holds the camera.
But, when adjusting the camera clamp to get the right height or angle...
...it's been a bit harder to maneuver.
A higher quality camera clamp would solve this.
If I were starting over today:
This 2 piece unit clamp and arm may be better than my clamp I've already listed (with the tripod ball head optionally, for more movability angles for the camera).
But, I'm going for the lean approach.
And the camera clamp I listed is the most cost effective way to get started.
I'll prolly upgrade to the Superclamp and Impact Extension arm, the next time I buy new equipment for the home studio.
Background | Backdrop for Filming Part 2
Backdrop multiple sheets of different colors:
I would have to hire someone to install this as it looks pretty complex.
Or
But, launching lean, and on a budget, right now, just use thumbtacks to put the paper backdrop on the wall.
Now you know everything you need to know to set up a professional video studio with studio lights.
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