Facebook Live Videos Don’t Have to Be Scary: Come Out of the Shadows, Lighting Tips

If you’re not doing Facebook Live videos, you’re missing out on an easy way to connect with your target audience. Yes, you need to focus on a clear message for each video. Yes, being live and seeing a number counter with who’s watching can be nerve wracking. But your followers want to learn from you; they want to be inspired; they want to know you as a person and not just as the name behind a business.
Luckily Facebook Live videos are meant to be more casual in nature. You don’t need a fancy studio or green screen. Absolutely anyone with a smartphone and a Facebook account can go live on their personal profiles, their business page, or their groups. But one key factor that some people just can’t seem to conquer is getting the right amount of light for their videos.

My recent FB LIVE with an author. Practice makes perfect, of course, and it may take a few videos to realize that your office is best lit in the early afternoon as opposed to early morning. But here are some tips that anyone can implement in their Facebook Lives:

1. Light your subject from the front, not the rear. Try standing in front of a window then take a photo or start your video. A shadow will cover your face while your audience will be blinded from the sunlight coming in through the window. An easy alternative is to stand in front of a wall (office, kitchen, etc. that doesn’t have a light source) and place your lighting in front of you. Your audience wants to connect with YOU, not your shadow.
2. Choose your lights carefully. If you’re on a budget, start with a simple ring light that attaches to your smartphone. If you are able to expand a bit more, try using some simple table lamps from around the house. Clip lights are affordable and can clip to nearly any surface; just be sure it’s not aimed directly at your eyes because the light can be quite harsh.
3. Beware of objects that cause a glare. Eyeglasses are the worst offender followed by metallic objects; basically, anything with a reflective surface. Even the smallest inconsequential object – like the chrome handle of a coffee pot or a metallic picture frame – can cause problems in your video. If you can’t remove the object, try moving to a different location or adjusting the light source.

Standard 3-point Lighting Technique
Quite simply, to achieve the best lighting for your videos, employ 3 different light sources. The key light is what highlights the subject; the fill light is off to the side a bit but eliminates shadows caused by the key light; the back light shines on the object from behind and gives more definition to the video subject. You’ll see this technique put into practice by photographers as well. Eliminate the shadows and allow your audience to see you.
Ready to Produce a Professional Video for Your Business? Use this planner…
Facebook Lives are wonderful for that initial daily contact with your audience but at some point you’ll want to produce a more professional-looking video to use in your marketing efforts. At this point you’ll want to hire a professional videographer and this planner is everything you need to successfully plan a photoshoot or video shoot. The “Branding Photo Shoot Planner” is your step-by-step guide to planning photos or videos that tell the story of your brand. There are also tips about how to hire a photographer/videographer. Get my planner here ==>  Pam Perry Branding Accelerator Photoshoot Planner This is just one of the tools I share with the Branding Accelerators. Sign up to get on the wait list.