For good video call lighting, put a soft light in front of you, slightly above eye level and just off to one side of the camera. Match its color temperature to the room (around 4000-5000K for most offices), and make sure the brightest thing in the shot is your face, not a window behind you. Small changes like these improve a webcam image more than a camera upgrade.
The basic setup
| Light | Position | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Key light | In front, 30-45° to one side, slightly above eyes | Main light on your face |
| Fill light (optional) | Opposite side, dimmer | Softens shadows |
| Background light (optional) | Behind or beside you, aimed at the wall | Separates you from the background |
| Window | In front of or beside you, never behind | Free, soft daylight |
Step by step
- Kill the backlight. Turn your desk so windows are in front or to the side. If you can't, close blinds behind you.
- Add a key light. A desk LED panel, a monitor light bar or a ring light. Soft and diffused is better than small and bright.
- Set the height. Slightly above eye level, angled down. Light from below looks unnatural.
- Match color temperature. Pick a light with adjustable color. Use warmer (3000-3500K) in rooms with warm bulbs and cooler (5000K+) near daylight.
- Balance brightness. Your face should be brighter than the background, but not blown out. Turn off camera auto-exposure only if it keeps pumping.
- Check on camera. Look at your preview, not the room.
Lighting if you wear glasses
Glare on glasses comes from light that bounces straight off the lenses into the camera.
- Raise the light higher and move it further to the side, so the reflection angle misses the lens.
- Tilt your glasses' arms slightly up off your ears, which angles the lenses down.
- Use a larger, softer light at lower brightness. A big diffuse source makes a dimmer reflection.
- Avoid ring lights directly behind the camera. They put a ring in each lens.
- Anti-reflective lens coatings help a lot.
Lamps, light bars and ring lights
| Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor light bar | Saves desk space, even light | Can reflect in glasses, mostly lights the desk |
| Clip-on or desk LED panel | Soft, adjustable, inexpensive | Takes desk space |
| Ring light | Even, flattering | Ring reflection in eyes and glasses |
| Desk lamp with a daylight bulb | Uses what you have | Harsh unless bounced or diffused |
| Softbox kit | Most professional look | Large |
See video conference light bars, lighting kits compared and best video conference lights.
Cameras with built-in lights
Some webcams include a small LED. It helps in a dark room, but it's a hard, frontal light. A separate soft light gives better results. A good webcam with strong low-light handling, such as the Jabra PanaCast 20, also helps.
Lighting a meeting room
Conference rooms need even, front-facing light on faces at the table, not overhead downlights that cast eye shadows. See conference room lighting design and lighting levels.
More: home office video conferencing setup.
Lighting a full room for video? Send us photos and dimensions and we'll suggest fixtures and camera placement.
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