Video conferencing in the workplace is on the rise. As companies rely more on video conferencing than before, the right equipment can give you that professional edge you’ve been seeking.
There are three main ‘themes’ to consider when thinking about video conferencing.
- Sound – the way your voice transmits to others and how you hear other participants.
- Visual – the way you look on video and how others look to you.
- Software – the tools you use when conducting a video conference.
Today, we’re going to talk about why it is important to light a green screen. By focusing on your lighting and background, you’ll be ready to impress your next video meeting attendees.
Do video conferences with a green screen
I always stress the importance of having a green screen (especially a Webaround). Why would you need a green screen in your home office? Green screens can help you create the perfect virtual background. They help create a professional environment around you, regardless of your location. For many professions, green screens address concerns over privacy, appearance, and overall professionalism. A green screen can help silence distractions and capture a participant’s attention. A portable green screen can do all of the above, with the added benefit of flexibility.
The importance of lighting
Your video conference set up needs light sources, especially if you’re using a green screen for a video conference backdrop. Light sources are essential for a variety of reasons. Lighting is important because it leads to high-quality images. Low-light images can appear “grainy,” meaning they have a lot of noise. Webcams and digital cameras capture light using a small lens and an array of light-detectors built into microchips. These light-detectors allow the cameras to digitize the light from the object, creating an image. Without adequate light, images can end up with a lot of noise, since the microchips are capturing less information.
Secondly, light helps guide whoever is watching towards the point of focus (you). By illuminating the subject on a video, you support the spectator by subliminally guiding his or her eye to the point of focus.
Lastly, proper and even lighting is critical for a good chroma key. What’s a chroma key? It’s basically electronically selecting a color (most commonly green) in a scene and making it transparent. You’re creating a “filter” on top of your image that chooses the color of your green screen and allows you to replace it with other content.
How to set up your lighting
When configuring the lighting in your home office (or room, closet, bathroom, etc., we won’t judge), your main goal should be to illuminate yourself as much and as flatteringly as possible. The purpose of your primary light source is to highlight you.
My tip is to place the light source in front of you to light your face. If you find yourself with the option of multiple light sources, use the secondary light source to illuminate the background. Secondary sources are a great way to play around with shadows and angles to bring it to the next level.
An important point to keep in mind is that a green screen requires even lighting. You’ll need to make sure that the entire area of your green screen is lit correctly and not underexposed in any specific area. With that said, you’ll need to be careful with secondary sources like a window and make sure you’re using the same amount of light on both sides of the green screen.
The Webaround + Lume Cube bundle
The Webaround and Lume Cube understand the importance of pairing an excellent green screen with good light. We are proud to announce that the Lighting + Back Drop Bundle is now available on our site. We understand the importance of great hardware, and our new bundle allows you to get two critical pieces at a discount when compared to buying each separately. Get yours today.
