Finding the perfect lighting setup can make all the difference in creating a professional-looking livestream. Lights are not just about making sure you’re visible to your audience; it’s about creating an atmosphere that keeps them hooked from start to finish. We’re talking effects on presence, engagement, mood, and tone, so what’s not to like?
If you’re starting out with live streaming (or you’ve been around a while, but you know you could take your lighting setup to the next level), you will definitely find this article useful. Why? Because we won’t just show you the latest in lighting technology; we’ll also help you determine how to grow your setup as your channel gets bigger. So, let’s get started.
Why Streaming Lights Matter
Lights are the unsung heroes of live streaming—they might not always get the attention they deserve, but they’re the ones making sure you shine! Without good lighting, those pesky shadows can make you look like you’ve got something to hide.
Good lighting brings many advantages to video production, including but not limited to these:
- Visibility: A great light setup ensures that everything in the frame is clearly visible, so viewers can see all the important details without straining their eyes.
- Enhanced quality: Proper lighting also improves the quality of a video, making it look more professional and polished.
- Mood Setting: Lighting can set the mood and tone of the video, too. For example, you can go for a warm and inviting atmosphere or create a dramatic and intense vibe.
- Focus: Lights can direct attention to specific areas within your live stream frame.
- Reduced Shadows: Good lighting minimizes harsh shadows and eliminates distracting shadows that can harm the viewing experience.
- Visual Appeal: Well-lit videos are more visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing. In other words, they are more likely to capture and retain your audience’s attention.
- Professionalism: High-quality lighting signals professionalism and attention to detail and thus enhances your credibility as a content creator.
Key Light Considerations
Before we talk about specific equipment, let’s briefly discuss some things that can significantly impact the quality and effectiveness of your setup.
Firstly, we’ve got brightness. No matter your equipment, the lights should light up your face or scene just right without being too intense or causing annoying glares. Color temperature is also important. You should pick a color vibe that matches the mood you’re going for. Whether you like it cool like daylight or warm like cozy candlelight, try to choose a temperature that suits your style.
Next is light placement. The best idea here is to try to stick your key light where it works best to avoid weird shadows and show off your best features. So, go ahead and try different angles until you find the one that makes you look like a star. You can also add some adjustable extra lights or backlights to jazz up your background or create a cool separation between you and your backdrop.
We’ll talk a little more about light quality in the section below, but for now, let’s say that you should go for lights that give off a soft, flattering glow. Harsh shadows are so last season—soft light (like that created by a diffuser) is where it’s at for that flawless look.
Lastly, remember that we all like consistency. So, keep your lighting game on point throughout your recording or livestream (no sudden change in brightness or color unless it makes sense!).
The Best Lighting Setups for Livestreaming
We’ve covered the basics. Now, are you ready to level up your live-streaming game without breaking the bank? Well, you’re in luck! In this section, we’re diving deep into the world of lighting setups, offering the best suggestions for every budget (and the best part: You can find all of these on Amazon!)
Lights for Streamers on a Budget
If you’re looking for budget-friendly lighting solutions for your livestreamer, here are three options that can help you improve the quality of your videos without making a significant investment.
Option #1: Neewer LCD Light Panel
The Neewer LCD Light Panel is a versatile and compact lighting solution designed to meet the needs of photographers and videographers. Featuring a sleek and portable design, this LED light panel offers adjustable brightness and color temperature settings, allowing you to customize your lighting setup to suit various shooting conditions and environments.
In short: This option allows you to grow your light setup as your livestream channel grows, as you can start with just one small panel.
Option #2: Razer Ring Light
The Razer Ring Light is a lighting solution designed specifically for content creators, streamers, and video conferencing. It has a sleek and modern design and offers adjustable brightness and color temperature settings, so you can achieve the perfect lighting conditions for any situation. The Razer Ring Light also comes with a range of customizable lighting effects, including static colors, dynamic patterns, and pulsating rhythms.
In short: This option can be a good base for the camera and a decent primary light for the face.
Option #3: Fovitec Fluorescent Studio Lighting Kit
The Fovitec Fluorescent Studio Lighting Kit offers a more comprehensive and professional-grade lighting solution. This versatile kit includes everything you need to illuminate your set, including sturdy light stands that can be adjusted to various heights and angles. The Fovitec Lighting Kit also comes with softboxes and diffusers to minimize harsh shadows and create a flattering, studio-quality look.
In short: This option is one of the more economical options for a lighting kit. For about $200, you get three lights with stands and accessories.
Some More Ideas
- Use a simple desk lamp with a daylight LED bulb as your key light. You can place the lamp behind your camera or slightly to the side to avoid harsh shadows and position a white foam board or reflector opposite the lamp to bounce light back onto your face.
- Create your own softbox using a cardboard box, white fabric, and LED strip lights. You can cut out the front of the box and cover it with white fabric to diffuse the light. For soft, flattering light, place the LED strip lights inside the box and position it in front of your face or camera.
Semi-Professional Light Setups
Alright, let’s chat about semi-professional light setups – the sweet spot between budget-friendly and high-end gear. These setups are perfect for creators who want to step up their lighting game and grow their channel without making a big investment just yet.
Option #1: FOMEI RGB 12 LED Light
The FOMEI RGB 12 LED Light is a compact and versatile lighting solution. With its small size and lightweight design, this LED light panel is portable enough to take on location while still providing powerful and customizable lighting options. One of the standout features of the FOMEI RGB 12 LED Light is its ability to produce a wide range of colors, thanks to its RGB (Red, Green, Blue) LED technology. With just a few simple adjustments, you can easily dial in any color of the rainbow!
In short: This option is an ideal assistant for streamers as it does not take up much space and is easy to use.
Get on FOMEI for about $200 per panel, or find a similar one on Amazon
Option #2: Elgato Key Light Mini
The Elgato Key Light Mini is a small but powerful lighting solution designed to elevate your streaming experience. This LED panel packs a punch, offering adjustable brightness and color temperature settings to help you achieve the perfect lighting conditions. The Elgato Key Light Mini also boasts a sleek and modern design that complements any workspace or setup and offers seamless integration with Elgato’s Stream Deck software, allowing you to control your lighting settings with the touch of a button.
In short: This option is great for streamers on the go, providing wireless control across multiple devices.
Option #3: NEEWER Softbox Lighting Kit
The NEEWER Softbox Lighting Kit is a comprehensive lighting solution, including two softbox lighting units, each measuring 24 x 24 inches. They provide soft and diffused illumination that minimizes harsh shadows and creates a flattering, studio-quality look. One of the standout features of the NEEWER Softbox Lighting Kit is its versatility. The softbox design allows for precise control over the direction and intensity of the light, making it ideal for a wide range of shooting scenarios.
In short: This option is powered by two UL-certified 35W LED bulbs, offering great illumination without dealing with excess heat or energy consumption.
Some More Ideas
- Invest in a pair of softbox or umbrella lights with adjustable stands. Place one light slightly to the side and above your camera as the key light, and position the second light opposite the key light to fill in shadows and provide additional illumination.
- Use a key light, fill light, and backlight to create a professional-looking setup.
Professional Lights
These lights are suitable for professional livestreamers, offering advanced features, professional lighting quality, and seamless integration with streaming setups.
Option #1: Elgato Key Light
The Elgato Key Light is a premium lighting solution designed specifically for streamers, content creators, and professionals who demand high-quality lighting for their setups. With its sleek and modern design, this LED panel offers adjustable brightness and color temperature settings to ensure optimal illumination in any environment. In addition to its practical features, the Elgato Key Light boasts a durable and robust construction that ensures long-lasting performance and reliability.
In short: This option offers ultra-bright and adjustable LED lighting, seamless integration with streaming setups, and wireless control via an app or Stream Deck.
Option #2: Razer Kiyo
The Razer Kiyo ring light is a game-changer for streamers and content creators. With its sleek and modern design, this ring light offers adjustable brightness and color temperature settings, allowing you to customize your lighting setup to suit any environment or mood. At 12 inches in diameter, the Razer Ring Light provides ample illumination for a variety of applications. Whether you’re streaming gameplay, recording videos, participating in video calls, or snapping selfies, this ring light ensures that you always have the perfect lighting conditions to make you look your best on camera.
In short: This option comes with compact fluorescent bulbs and softbox diffusers, offering a professional lighting solution for streams.
Option #3: Lume Cube 18″ Cordless Ring Light
The Lume Cube 18″ Cordless Ring Light is a cutting-edge lighting solution with a sleek and portable design. At 18 inches in diameter, the Lume Cube Ring Light provides ample illumination for a variety of applications. The Lume Cube Ring Light has a cordless design and a built-in rechargeable battery. Which means you can take this ring light anywhere and use it without being tethered to a power outlet.
In short: This option has a 360-degree full-color system comes along with 17 special lighting effects, allowing for great ambiance and control over multiple light groups.
Some More Ideas
- Build a custom lighting setup using high-quality LED panels, strips, or bulbs. Design the layout to meet your specific needs, incorporating key, fill, backlight, and accent lighting as desired, and invest in professional-grade color calibration tools to ensure accurate color reproduction.
- Install a set of remote-controlled smart lights that can be adjusted via smartphone app or computer software and program custom lighting scenes and presets for different streaming setups and environments.
Conclusion
Good lighting is essential for improving visibility, setting the mood, and projecting professionalism in your livestreams.
Whether you’re gaming, hosting a talk show, or showcasing your talents, StreamYard makes it easy to achieve professional-looking lighting with its intuitive interface and customizable features.
With StreamYard, you can easily go live on all your favorite platforms – YouTube, Facebook, you name it – all at the same time! And the best part? You don’t need to be a tech whiz to use it. Just hop on, customize your stream with cool graphics and overlays, and you’re good to go!
Streamyard is the easiest way to make your livestreams look pro without breaking a sweat. So if you’re ready to take your content to the next level, try StreamYard for free today!