Video live streaming has become extremely simplified in recent years. Anyone can create their own webcast by simply turning on a camera and streaming live video through an online streaming site. Watching online video has become one of the favorite actions of millions of internet users.
A study by Digital Sherpa turned up some interesting video stats. Each day 100 million people watch an online video. A third of all online traffic is comprised of video traffic. Viewers are 64% more likely to buy a product after watching a marketing video about the product. No matter what type of video stream you are creating, the following camera and lighting tips will help make your next live streaming event a huge success.
Live Streaming Sites
The first step is to determine which live streaming site you will use. There are many to choose from. YouTube, Ustream, Livestream, Justin TV, and Bambuser are just a few of the most popular live streaming sites and services available.
Users of those sites utilize the services for a wide variety of streaming events, such as instructional video, comedy, gaming, music videos, marketing, descriptive video, and much more. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best camera and lighting tips for your next live streaming event.
Back Lighting Will Eliminate Shadows
It is okay to use lighting behind the subject, as long as the light is not aimed directly at the camera, and as long as the front lighting, known as key lighting, is brighter than the back lighting. For instance, when you use key lighting directly on the subject, it will usually create shadows behind that person. Back lighting is typically used to reduce or eliminate those shadows. If there are still any dark areas, you can use the third type of lighting, called fill lighting, to eliminate all dark spots. Now you should have smooth lighting on all sides of the subject.
Use Natural Lighting To Cut Costs
Natural lighting on a clear, sunny day can be the best lighting, so if you’re shooting your live stream outdoors, it will drastically cut down on the amount of lighting required for your streaming event. Depending on the placement of the sun, there may still be shadows, so back lighting or fill lighting may be required, but if you stream during the midday hours when the sun is overhead, you may not need to use any artificial lighting at all.
Use Correct Camera Placement
Camera placement is essential to a successful live stream. Getting the right angle is critical. Consider how the viewers are going to perceive the video from different locations, and base the camera placement on this.
Be sure to zoom in close to the subject. If your camera is far away, you may get more of the background and scenery in the shot, but it will also make the viewers feel like they are sitting far away from the action.
Another factor in camera placement is lighting, as discussed above. If you can’t get the lighting just right, you may have to use camera placement to get the right angle for a high-quality shot.
Use Video Switchers For Multiple Camera Angles
If you are serious about your live streaming event, you may want to consider using a video switcher. Video switchers are very useful for live streaming events that use multiple cameras. By using multiple cameras, you can quickly switch to different camera angles during the live streaming event. This makes your video appear more professional and more interesting.
Change Lighting Color By Using Color Gels
Using color gels allows you to change the color of specific lighting at any time during the live stream. For instance, if you want to quickly give your key lighting a blue tint, you can simply slide a blue color gel in front of the light to achieve this without interrupting the stream.
Getting the camera attributes and lighting set correctly is critical to the quality and clarity of your live stream. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive even more great camera and lighting tips for your live streaming events.