Episode three of our Insights Videos! These short, engaging episodes are designed to help you easily understand the video production process.
Gain valuable insights into aspects of the production process by watching our helpful videos.
Should I use natural or artificial light for my videos?
When it comes to video production, lighting plays a crucial role in setting the shot’s tone and atmosphere. Understanding the differences between lighting sources is essential for achieving the desired visual aesthetic and ensuring continuity in your final cut. There are two main options to consider: natural lighting or artificial lighting.
Natural lighting has the significant advantage of being cost-effective (free) and readily available. Often referred to as “available light,” it can provide a soft, diffuse, and warm look to your video, making the footage appear more natural and authentic to the viewer. This can be perfect for documentaries, outdoor scenes, or lifestyle videos. However, natural lighting is inherently unpredictable and can change quickly—a passing cloud or the sun’s movement can significantly affect a scene’s look, posing a challenge for video continuity and requiring fast-paced shooting.
On the other hand, artificial lighting, which includes equipment such as LED panels, Fresnel lights, and softboxes, provides much more control over the light source. This control allows filmmakers and videographers to meticulously adjust the light’s intensity, colour temperature, and direction to create specific moods and effects. It can be strategically used to highlight particular areas or subjects in the shot, creating visual interest, depth, and separation from the background. Furthermore, artificial lighting is indispensable for studio shoots or creating a dramatic, high-contrast, intense atmosphere. The trade-off is that professional lighting kits can be expensive, and setting up complex lighting arrangements can be time-consuming, adding to the overall production timeline.
Ultimately, the choice between utilising natural light and employing artificial lighting setups depends heavily on the desired aesthetic of your video, the shooting location, and the time and resources—including budget and crew size—available for the production.
Next week in our Insights Videos Series, we’ll cover the best format for exporting videos for online platforms.
