We have all heard the phrase…lights …camera…action! Well that’s really how it is. There has to be enough of the right kind of light for video to look really good. Our eyes are wonderful instruments, much better than a camcorder’s lens. We can see a much wider range of light and dark. And we see those in-between shades. Camcorders do a pretty good job of automatically adjusting itself for the light that’s available. Some camcorders have extra features that allow you to further adjust settings, but for the most part the automatic settings generally do a good job. You can help it along to improve the video quality by making sure that there is enough good light on the subject you are capturing.

One of the best ways to ensure good lighting is to shoot where there is already a light source. Inside there are usually overhead and wall lights as well as windows. Get your subject near a light source and have them face it as long as it doesn’t blind them. Try to keep your camera lens pointed away from the light not looking right into it for the most part.

Outside the sun is your best light source. Sometimes the sun is too blinding to have your subject looking right into it. In that case move in to a shady area if there is one. If there isn’t any shade have your subject face away from the sun and try to shield the camcorder’s lens from any bright sun flares by using your hand or something to shade it. Get close and try to frame the subjects face filling up the screen and that way the automatic exposure on the camcorder will focus just on the face and not the bright background.

If you have a light either built in or added on to your camcorder you can use that very effectively. Again try not to blind your subject. Get back far enough where the light isn’t blinding but still illuminates the subject.

You can also reflect light onto your subject with a fold up reflector disc if you have one or a white poster board or even a white piece of paper. You will be amazed at how much it can add to a dark subject by just bouncing a little light onto it.

These are easy ways to help light up a subject so the camcorder can do it’s best to get good footage.

  • Get near light sources already there.
  • Use the sun outside.
  • Use a built in or added on light.
  • Reflect some light.

Have fun