Sometimes you need to look in the most unexpected places to dramatically improve the way your streams look. The key to your perfect footage may not be your camera, it may in fact be your lights! They are often overlooked by new streamers. Still, this may be the gear lack of which keeps your streams from looking the best they can. Here are a few aspects of your stream that may be drastically improved by proper lighting equipment for streamers. With examples too!
Improve your camera quality
They not only serve their own purpose but can also elevate other pieces of your equipment to levels they wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. We are mostly talking about your camera of choice here of course. Modern web cameras are decent when dealing with low-light environments but even the best ones cannot do miracles. When your room is dark you’ll often get a noisy image that breaks up and doesn’t show much detail. You may also be surprised how high of an illumination level may still be considered insufficient by your camera’s sensitivity standards.
If you use autofocus on your camera it is sure to improve drastically in proper lighting. More visible details and less noise make picking up an object to focus on a lot easier. It’s as simple as that.
The best way to see what works for your camera setup is to try running your streams with different levels of lighting and paying attention to how your camera keeps up. Some cameras may compensate for dimmer lighting but if you never tried recording while well-lit you are sure to notice a drastic improvement in the image quality.
To overcome these challenges and enhance your camera's capability, especially when dealing with varying light conditions, consider this product:
Neewer 18-inch LED Ring Light: This ring light is perfect for creating a soft, uniform light that minimizes harsh shadows. It's particularly effective for close-up shots, where detailed clarity is essential. The adjustable intensity and color temperature make it a versatile choice for different streaming environments.
Make yourself pop or disappear into your content
This part is most important to people who stream many games or other types of content where a tiny window near the side of the screen represents their camera. Depending on your personal goals and preferences you may want this aspect of your overlay to stand out or match the footage of the game. What you don’t want is for them to clash.
In both cases, lighting is your best friend. If you need your camera window to be attention-grabbing and instantly noticeable try playing with background lighting. A proper contrast of your real-life background, front-facing light, and all the other stuff in a game may help instantly channel first-time viewers' attention to your face. Taking into consideration the color palette of the game may also help you configure a lighting setup that helps you stand out without messing up the aesthetics of the full picture.
On the other side of the spectrum people who strive to become one with their content may follow the same guidelines but make different choices in the process. Instead of picking contrasting background lights, you may want to match the game's pallet to make your room an extension of your digital surroundings. Turn your RGB lights to muted green and place your oversized plant somewhere in the background of your room. BOOM, you are a part of your Monster Hunter crew roaming the jungle.
Last but definitely not least – greenscreen. Streaming on a greenscreen has gained a lot of popularity lately. There are many perks to it: it’s the best way to make sure that nothing gets in the way between you and your content, it gives you some flexibility to get creative with effects and digital surroundings, it lets you not tidy your room before the stream.
If you are looking for a budget greenscreen check out: Emart 5x7ft Green Screen Backdrop
Anyone who used greenscreen once will tell you that having it properly lit saves you a lot of time and effort later. It will look better too. Don’t want a green hue and color bleeding? Just light it evenly and make sure there are no harsh shadows.
NEEWER Softbox Lighting Kit is a good option for a budget streamer who is looking for a great way to light greenscreen and avoid harsh shadows. This makes the resulting image look neat and professional. Softbox lighting is also great for a more natural and soft look but it may require some space. Consider this if you have space constraints at your workstation.
Change the way you look
People from the film industry treat light as part of the character in itself. The way we are lit changes our looks dramatically. It can hide or accentuate your flaws, make you look more stern or approachable, change the proportions of your face, etc.
That’s why it’s a good idea to treat light as an extension of your styling while streaming. Find a color hue that works best for your skin tones, place your key and fill lights to get the shadows that compliment your face structure, or pick the direction that works for you if you have a single light.
Pause this video and compare two different stills at any point. Don’t be surprised if they look like two different people:
The best way to make your face look best on camera is a key and fill light combination like Elgato Key Light Air (a pack of two)
- Why This Kit: The Elgato Key Light is an excellent choice for streamers. Two LED panels that provide soft, even lighting—perfect for a key and fill light setup. These lights are adjustable in terms of brightness and color temperature, making it easier to find the right hue for your skin tone.
- Features: The lights come with adjustable stands and can be controlled via an app, giving you the flexibility to adjust settings on the fly. This is particularly useful for streamers who need to quickly adapt their lighting to different times of the day or for various types of content.
Create interesting environments
Your surroundings play a significant role in setting the tone of your stream. Crafting a creative and visually appealing background can be a challenging task, requiring both time and financial investment. However, RGB lights can effectively simplify this process, providing maximum impact with minimal effort.
Incorporating RGB lighting into your streaming space allows you to easily adjust the mood and ambiance. A warm light can make the stream feel more inviting, while adding colored hues can give it a more sophisticated and elaborate look. Additionally, certain RGB lights can serve as decorative in-camera accents, enhancing the visual appeal of your stream.
Here are two RGB lighting options that are ideal for streamers looking to enhance their background:
Philips Hue Play Light Bars: These are versatile and can be placed behind monitors or around your streaming space to create dynamic backdrops. They offer a wide range of colors and are easily controllable via a smartphone app, making them perfect for streamers who want to frequently change their background's mood and color scheme.
Govee RGB LED Strip Lights: LED strip lights are a cost-effective way to add vibrant colors to your background. Govee's strips are known for their brightness and color accuracy, plus they come with an app that allows for easy customization and control. They can be placed around desks, shelves, or behind monitors to create a colorful and engaging environment.
Both these options are user-friendly and offer a wide range of customization, allowing you to effortlessly create the desired atmosphere for your streams. With these lights, you can transform your streaming space into an interesting and engaging environment that captures the attention of your audience.
Remember, the right lighting not only enhances the visual quality of your stream but also reflects your personality and style as a content creator. Embrace the power of RGB lighting to make your streaming space as unique and captivating as your content.
Add more interactivity
Finally, there are a lot of ways you can make light an interactive part of your streaming experience, Services like LumiaStream can link your smart lights to the actions that happen on your stream. Think of changing the hue of your lighting when you receive bits or letting your viewers turn your light off for channel points.
Granted, this requires you to have some smart lights but there are some very affordable options on the market right now. This is a great way to make your audience more involved in your streams and keep their attention. It’s always more engaging to watch the interactive content.
Need smart lights suggestions?
TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Bulbs: These bulbs are a great budget-friendly option. They offer Wi-Fi connectivity, which means they can be easily integrated with services like LumiaStream for interactive streaming experiences. The Kasa Smart Bulbs support color changing and dimming, allowing viewers to interact with your stream by changing the lighting or brightness.
LIFX Color A19 Smart Bulbs: LIFX bulbs are known for their vibrant color options and intensity. They do not require a hub and connect directly to your Wi-Fi network, making setup and integration with streaming services straightforward. These bulbs can provide a wide range of colors and are responsive, perfect for real-time interaction with your audience, such as color changes in response to donations or subscriptions.
Lights are really an underappreciated part of streaming equipment. But it doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank to get some high-end stuff. Even a single LED panel would make your camera footage miles better and with everything mentioned above it can become the start of a bright journey.