How to achieve studio lighting for videos like this...

JonnyBgoode

I see quite a few Youtubers who have coloured lighting like this behind their DAW/monitors which makes a nice backdrop for Youtube videos.  I also note people changing the colours of this lighting for different videos, the guy in the video above goes from orange to pink at one point for example.

So what would be a budget way of achieving this?  

AntonHunter

I think it's LED light strips, there are loads online, but I couldn't tell you what spec is important to look for etc sorry.

Whistler

I agree with @AntonHunter, they are LED strip lights. In a studio setting I use Philips Hue as they are silent. Some can make a noise like a dimmer switch, so buy wisely.

JonnyBgoode

Whistler said:

I agree with @AntonHunter, they are LED strip lights. In a studio setting I use Philips Hue as they are silent. Some can make a noise like a dimmer switch, so buy wisely.

Thanks guys and good tip about the noise, didn't even think that would be an issue There was me about to look them up on Temu...

AntonHunter

Oh god yeah, avoid Temu I'd say! 

Stratavarious

IKEA do them in various lengths. Can set or cycle colours.  Very nice. Silent.

You can also put them on stage gear.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/led-strip-lights-57542/

Lestratcaster

You need to use the 3 point lighting system (or two if you don't have the space or facility to). I make guitar cover videos and do similar lighting to this.

You want one main softbox light to be facing you from angle, don't use any overhead lighting as that'll create bad dark shadows. If you can, use another smaller fill light to balance out the other darker spots on the other angle side. If you have space you can also use a backlight behind you but two is sufficient (I use two).

Then use RGB lighting behind you against the wall. Some use strips, lamps, bars or other panels. 

JonnyBgoode

Hmm USB or mains?  A quick Google tells me the USB ones are not as bright, though it would be very convenient as I'm low on power sockets.

 I need one LED strip, 2m long to lie on the desk behind my speakers and PC monitors and want to light up the bare wall behind, See pic of my studio here: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/275774/whats-size-monitors-and-recommendations#latest

 Maybe mains is the way to go?

Lestratcaster said:

You need to use the 3 point lighting system (or two if you don't have the space or facility to). I make guitar cover videos and do similar lighting to this.

You want one main softbox light to be facing you from angle, don't use any overhead lighting as that'll create bad dark shadows. If you can, use another smaller fill light to balance out the other darker spots on the other angle side. If you have space you can also use a backlight behind you but two is sufficient (I use two).

This was going to be my next question! I want to sort the back lighting first, but yeah for future videos it would be nice to have proper lighting. My problem is lack of space. If I could get a soft  light that clips onto a shelf, as opposed to freestanding, that would help.

Lodious

JonnyBgoode said:

My problem is lack of space. If I could get a soft  light that clips onto a shelf, as opposed to freestanding, that would help.

You can with something like this clamp....NEEWER ST-CCD1 Heavy Duty Adjustable Desktop C Clamp, a light  NEEWER MS150C 150W RGB Portable LED Video Light and a softbox NEEWER NS6P Parabolic Softbox Dodecagon - NEEWER

JonnyBgoode

Lodious said:

JonnyBgoode said:

My problem is lack of space. If I could get a soft  light that clips onto a shelf, as opposed to freestanding, that would help.

You can with something like this clamp....NEEWER ST-CCD1 Heavy Duty Adjustable Desktop C Clamp, a light  NEEWER MS150C 150W RGB Portable LED Video Light and a softbox NEEWER NS6P Parabolic Softbox Dodecagon - NEEWER

Noted thanks.

Lestratcaster

Lestratcaster said:

You need to use the 3 point lighting system (or two if you don't have the space or facility to). I make guitar cover videos and do similar lighting to this.

You want one main softbox light to be facing you from angle, don't use any overhead lighting as that'll create bad dark shadows. If you can, use another smaller fill light to balance out the other darker spots on the other angle side. If you have space you can also use a backlight behind you but two is sufficient (I use two).

This was going to be my next question! I want to sort the back lighting first, but yeah for future videos it would be nice to have proper lighting. My problem is lack of space. If I could get a soft  light that clips onto a shelf, as opposed to freestanding, that would help.

I think you can get arm mounts if space is limited. I have an Elgato master mount for the keylight. Saves me using a stand behind the desk if space is tight.

My 2 RGB light bars are powered with a Samsung charger by the way. You can also get battery run video box lights as well.

fretmeister

There's loads of youtube vids about budget lighting set ups for all manner of things. Not just for the coloured stuff but also how to light the person on camera too.

Gabriel is great - he has loads



Senpai Gaming has loads too




I went down this rabbit hole at the beginning of Covid when most of my work moved to video conferences. I spent a bit of money on it but it was a work expense for me and I'm still amazed how many professionals are so bad at getting a good video conference set up - audio and visual.

I've got 1 large Elgato Keylight and 3 Neo Mini ones - pretty much set up in positions like the Senpai link above.

I don't have any coloured lights as I just use a greenscreen, so my lights are to light me properly, make me look like I'm not actually flat with the greenscreen image and to stop the green halo effect that happens around people.

BTW - people get annoyed by shit audio far faster than they do by shit video.