Harnessing Ambiance with Thoughtful Lighting

Lighting Tips for Vlogging: How to Light

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Simplified Techniques for Reordering YT Videos

We often create playlists on YouTube for different moods, genres, and occasions, but you may want to change the order of the videos or songs in your list. This is where the shuffling feature can help you.

Shuffling your YouTube playlist is an excellent way to mix things up and play various videos or songs from different channels without manually selecting each one.

But if you don’t know how to use the “Shuffle” feature, we’ll show you how to shuffle YouTube playlists on PCs, phones, and TVs. So, keep reading to start randomizing your YouTube playlist to mix up your music or video collection!

How To Shuffle YouTube Playlist On PCs/Phones/TVs?

Whether it’s a mix of our favorite songs, a set of dance videos to help get us through our workout, or a compilation of cat videos that never fail to make us smile, we all have that one go-to playlist we want to listen to over and over again.

But sometimes, even our favorite playlist can feel a little stale. That’s when it’s time to shuffle things up and give the playlist a fresh new feel.

To help you with this, we’ve provided step-by-step tutorials to help you shuffle Youtube playlists on your computer, phone, or Smart TV without having much trouble.

Part 1. How to Shuffle YouTube Playlist on PC?

Here is the step-by-step guide that can help you quickly shuffle your YouTube playlist on your PC, whether it’s before playback while watching, or from the Library:

How To Shuffle the Playlist Before Playlist Playback

The following is a quick rundown of the steps you need to take to shuffle the playlist before playback:

Step 1: First, open a browser on your PC to visit the YouTube website and log in to your account using your credentials.

Step 2: Now, click the “Menu” (hamburger) icon on the top left of the YouTube home page and select your playlist from the menu.

Step 3: On the next page, click the “Shuffle” button next to the “Play All” option in the playlist details section to randomize your YouTube playlist.

That’s about it! Your videos/songs will now play in random order.

How To Shuffle The Playlist While Listening

To learn how to shuffle a YouTube playlist while listening to your favorite songs, do the following steps in sequence:

Step 1: Launch your preferred browser on your PC and head to the “YouTube” homepage.

Step 2: Now, use the search icon to find your favorite song’s playlist or choose from the left “Menu” panel, and click “Play All” to listen to the music.

Step 3: When you start playing, you’ll find your playlist next to the video player. Click the crisscrossed arrows “Shuffle” icon below the playlist title, and the songs will start playing randomly instead of in proper order.

How To Shuffle The Playlist In the Library

If you want to randomize your YouTube playlist in the library section, follow these step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: In the first step, head to the YouTube website using your preferred browser on the PC and sign in to your account.

Step 2: Click the “Library” option from the left side panel on the YouTube homepage and scroll down to the “Playlists” section.

Step 3: In the next step, find your playlist and click the “View Full Playlist” option below. This will take you to the playlist page.

Step 4: Finally, on the playlist page, click the “Shuffle” option next to “Play All” in the details section. Now, when you start watching the videos in the playlist, they will play randomly.

Part 2. How To Shuffle YouTube Playlist On Handy?

It is possible to shuffle your YouTube playlist on your handy (iPhone or Android) with the following workarounds.

How To Shuffle The Playlist Before Playlist Playback/From Library

The following steps will help you shuffle your favorite playlists before playlist playback or from the Library:

Step 1: If the YouTube app is not installed on your phone, head to the “App Store “ or “Google Play Store “ and install the app.

Step 2: Now, launch the YouTube app on your handy and tap the “Library” option at the bottom right corner of the app’s home screen.

Step 3: Now, scroll down to the “Playlist” section and tap the playlist you want to shuffle. On the playlist screen, tap “Shuffle” next to the “Play All” option, and that’s it!

You can now enjoy your favorite videos and songs in a new order.

How To Shuffle The Playlist While Listening

To change the order of your favorite songs in the YouTube playlist while listening to it on your mobile device, do the following steps:

Step 1: First, open the “YouTube” app on your device and log into your account if you are not signed in already.

Step 2: On the app’s home screen, tap the “Search” bar, type the playlist name, and tap to open it to start listening to your favorite songs.

Step 3: You will find the playlist available under the video player. Simply tap the crisscrossed arrows “Shuffle” icon below the playlist’s title.

That’s all to it! Now you can enjoy your YouTube playlist in totally random order.

Part 3. How To Shuffle YouTube Playlist on TV?

The YouTube app is also available on smart TVs, which many people find to be a more enjoyable experience than watching YouTube videos on a small screen.

However, unfortunately, there is no way to shuffle a YouTube playlist on a Smart TV. This is a feature that is currently only available on the YouTube website and apps.

But if your Smart TV comes with a built-in Chromecast option, you can screen mirror the YouTube app on your TV and shuffle the playlist to your liking in the following way:

Step 1: In the first step, make sure your Smart TV and mobile device are connected to the same internet connection.

Step 2: In the next step, launch the YouTube app on your device, and access your playlist under the “Library” tab. Tap the “Shuffle” icon in the playlist details section and play your playlist

Step 3: In the final step, tap the “Cast” icon at the top-right of the screen and select your TV from the list to cast to.

Now you can enjoy randomly listen to your favorite songs on a more prominent display without getting bored.

Note:

You can also use other streaming devices like Firestick or Apple Airplay to cast YouTube on your Smart TV.

A Bouns Tip: How To Make a Music Video by Yourself?

We hope you have found appropriate solutions to shuffle your YouTube Playlist. Besides, supposing you are a music and YouTube lover, do you want to create videos with your favourite music? If yes, you can watch the video we have prepared for you. In this video, you will learn how to easily use a user-friendly video editor, Filmora, to make music videos!

In this comprehensive guide, we’ve provided a detailed step-by-step guide to show you how to shuffle YouTube playlists on your computer, mobile device, or Smart TV.

Hopefully, you’ve found this article informative and can now enjoy watching or listening to your favorite video/song in a random order in your YouTube playlist.

We often create playlists on YouTube for different moods, genres, and occasions, but you may want to change the order of the videos or songs in your list. This is where the shuffling feature can help you.

Shuffling your YouTube playlist is an excellent way to mix things up and play various videos or songs from different channels without manually selecting each one.

But if you don’t know how to use the “Shuffle” feature, we’ll show you how to shuffle YouTube playlists on PCs, phones, and TVs. So, keep reading to start randomizing your YouTube playlist to mix up your music or video collection!