Lighting for Videos at Home: How to Light Yourself With Just a Phone
How to light yourself for phone videos at home with a window, one lamp or a ring light, plus quick fixes for backlight, mixed colors and glasses glare.
Cameratel team
4 min read
Updated:
In this guide
The simplest good lighting for videos at home is a window in front of you: face it, put the phone between you and the glass, and switch off ceiling lights that tint or shadow your face. No usable window? One lamp with a shade, placed slightly to one side and a little above eye level, does the job. A ring light is the most convenient option, with a few trade-offs worth knowing.
Good light does more for a phone video than any setting, filter or new phone. Here's how to get it with what you already own.
Setup 1: Window light
Window light is soft, flattering and free. To use it well:
- Face the window, with the phone between you and the glass.
- Sit a few feet back from the window, close enough for brightness but out of direct sun.
- If the sun shines straight in, hang a sheer white curtain or a white sheet to soften it.
- Switch off the ceiling light, which adds shadows under your eyes and a second color of light.
- For more depth, turn about 45 degrees so the window lights one side of your face slightly more than the other.
The downside is that daylight changes. A cloudy morning and a sunny afternoon look different, so if you record a series, film at roughly the same time of day.
Setup 2: One lamp when there's no window
A single lamp can look surprisingly good if it's soft and well placed:
- Make it soft. A lamp with a fabric shade beats a bare bulb. The bigger and closer the light source, the softer the shadows.
- Place it at 45 degrees. Put it to one side of the phone, slightly above eye level and angled down toward your face.
- Fill the shadow side. A white wall, a sheet of white foam board or even a white pillowcase over a chair on the other side bounces light back into the shadows.
- Pick the right bulb. Daylight-balanced bulbs are around 5,000–5,600 K and match window light, while warm household bulbs are around 2,700–3,000 K. Either works, as long as you don't mix them.
Ring lights: pros, cons and placement
A ring light for phone videos is popular because it's easy: clip the phone in the middle and you're lit from the front.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Even, shadow-free light on your face | Can look flat, with little shape to your face |
| Bright catchlights in your eyes | The ring shape shows in your eyes in close-ups |
| Quick to set up anywhere | Strong reflections in glasses |
| Usually dimmable, often with color control | Harsh when too close or too bright |
To place one well, put the ring behind the phone at eye level or slightly above, dim it lower than you think you need and move it a little off-axis to add some shape. If you wear glasses, raise it until the reflection slides out of your lenses.
Don't mix color temperatures
Daylight is bluish, most home bulbs are orange, and a phone camera can only balance for one at a time. Mix them and your face ends up one color and the background another, or one cheek orange and the other blue.
The fix is to pick one source: switch off the ceiling light when you use the window, or close the curtains and use matching bulbs. Then fine-tune. In Cameratel, the Warmth adjustment shifts the image warmer or cooler while you watch the preview.
The screen-edge ring light trick
In a dim room, your phone screen can help light your face. Cameratel's Ring light turns the edge of the screen into a soft light for your face, which is handy for evening recordings or a quick video when there's no lamp nearby. It works best at close range as a gentle front light, ideally alongside a room lamp.
Finish with looks, exposure and warmth
Once the light is right, a look gives your videos a consistent style. Cameratel has 14 cinematic looks graded live, such as Natural, Studio, Golden Hour, Film and Noir, plus exposure, contrast, saturation and warmth adjustments. Fix the light first, then choose the look: a look can enhance good light, but it can't rescue a dark, muddy picture.
Lighting for videos at home: quick fixes for common problems
| Problem | Quick fix |
|---|---|
| Face dark, bright window behind you | Turn around and face the window |
| Dark shadows under your eyes | Switch off the ceiling light and bring a light down to eye level |
| Shiny forehead or nose | Soften or move the light back, or use a little powder |
| Orange or blue skin | Use one type of light only, then adjust the warmth |
| Flicker or rolling stripes | Turn off cheap LED bulbs or try a different frame rate |
| Glare on glasses | Raise the light and move it to one side |
| Grainy, noisy picture | Add light, since brightening a dark video adds noise |
Before every recording, spend ten seconds checking your face on the preview. If you see an even, bright face with soft shadows on one side, you're ready.
For framing and sound to go with your new light, see our talking head video tips and how to film yourself with your phone. If the room behind you is the problem, blurring or replacing the background works best with exactly the light you've just set up. Every camera and look setting is listed on the teleprompter camera page.
Frequently asked questions
Where should a ring light go for phone videos?
Directly behind the phone, at eye level or slightly above, so the light hits your face from the front. Raise it or move it a little to the side if it reflects in your glasses.
Is window light good for filming videos?
Yes. It's soft, flattering and free. Face the window instead of sitting with it behind you, and diffuse direct sun with a sheer curtain.
Why does my face look orange or blue on video?
You're probably mixing light sources with different color temperatures, like daylight and warm bulbs. Switch one off or match the bulbs, then fine-tune the warmth.
How do I stop glare on my glasses in videos?
Raise the light above eye level, move it to one side, or tilt your glasses down slightly by lifting the arms a little off your ears.