Every day, a new “vlog” or video blog is uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo and other alternate websites for thousands of followers to enjoy online. Literally, anyone with a digital camera, smartphone, microphone and access to editing software can create a vlog on a wide variety of topics from life experiences and beauty tips to the currently trending movies and TV shows. But of course, the followers watching these videos need to see the vlogger clearly – and that is where lighting equipment comes in.
If you record a video outside, the video quality is sharp and clear, compared to the videos that you shoot indoors. Vlogging outside or near a window is a good way to ensure that you have a lot of light. But for many vloggers, high-powered artificial light is needed to achieve the same standard of natural light. Here are some examples of lighting equipment you can use for your vlog.
Highly recommended by YouTube vlogger and lifestyle entrepreneur Sean Cannell, the LimoStudio 700W Softbox Lighting Kit comes with two light holders, each with a Softbox Reflector 24″ x 24″ in size. In addition, you get two 86″ Umbrella Flash Strobe Light Stands and two 85W, 6500K Compact Fluorescent spiral bulbs.
LimoStudio 700W Softbox Lighting Kit
However, if you’re looking for something portable that you can use in a home studio, Sean recommends the Neewer 160 LED Light Kit. This kit comes with two lightweight CN-160 LED video lights, two 5.9″x6.7″ (15 x 17 cm) softboxes, two 6 feet (190 cm) light stands, two 2600mAh Li-Ion batteries and one battery charger. It even comes with a 30″x10″x10″ carrying bag, which will definitely prove useful for vloggers on the go.
For professional studio lighting, we recommend the StudioPRO Continuous Bi-Color Light Panel Kit. This includes two bi-color LED 900 Light Panels with Aluminum casing, each with 600 individual LED long-lasting bulbs. These lights illuminate a variable white balance from Tungsten to Daylight. To support the light panels, this Panel Kit also comes with two 7’6″ adjustable, aluminum light stands and a StudioPRO LED Barndoor Light Modifier for each panel.
StudioPRO Continuous Bi-Color Light Panel Kit
If you wish to add another “dimension” to your lighting, you can try using a hair light. This will make you stand out from the background and give you an almost 3D look on camera. If you are going for that effect, definitely add a hair light or order a video lighting kit with a hair light included.
We recommend the StudioFX 400W Continuous Lighting Hairlight Boom Stand Set, which includes a 28″x 20″ Softbox, a 85W Fluorescent light bulb, a 31”-71” boom arm and a 7-foot boom stand.
StudioFX 400W Continuous Lighting Hairlight Boom Stand Set
If you’re making a beauty vlog, then you should consider a ring light. A ring light helps to even out exposure, hide blemishes and minimizes shadows. Ring lights are used best reasonably close up to your subject, with the DSLR mounted into the center of the ring. The soft glow of the ring light is designed to surround the subject, filling in all shadows by pointing at the subject from every angle.
With a larger ring light, the light is more radial and spreads in an even circle across the subject. Light will also reach some areas of the background, depending on the distance between the subject and the background. It’s important to know that a large LED ring light will also give you a ring catch light if it’s within close proximity to you. The further away the light is, the more the catch light will become a small blip instead of a noticeable ring.
However, if you opt for a smaller LED ring light (one that fits around the lens instead of the camera itself), it produces a small radius of hard light, and as a result, the light is now more defined, and the ring light will reflect in the eye of the vlogger.
We recommend purchasing the Neewer 18″ Ring Light, which comes with a 18 inch (48 cm) ring-shaped fluorescent flash light, reinforced flexible arm (guaranteed to move freely without drooping), extra long cord and heavy duty thumb screws.
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