It looks as if remote office work will be here for some time to come for many…and that means a lot of teleconferencing meetings. Whether with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Duo, Skype or other such platforms, if you’re on camera, be sure to have the proper lighting.
But let’s not put the cart before the horse because the first consideration is a good camera that is capable of video meetings. Most teleconferencing platforms can be used with either a desktop or mobile device, but not all of these apps are created equally when it comes to lighting. Some have low light settings; others do not. Most laptop or phone cameras provide adequate lighting but will more than likely need to be supplemented by room lighting of the natural or artificial variety.
So, what type of artificial lighting works best for video conferencing? LED is the most video-friendly and doesn’t cast off unwanted heat like incandescent bulbs can. Fluorescent bulbs have a tendency toward unflattering light on people, so if possible, go with LED. A 5-6 K daylight bulb is prime since you want the light to be as white as possible.
Ideally, you should have three identical LED bulbs; one in front of you, another 45 degrees to the left and the third at 45 degrees to the right. Lights should be pointed down from above and not directly at you to avoid harsh shadowing. And be sure to place all three lights behind your camera so they don’t bleed light into the lens.
For those who don’t want to spend the money or time to set up LED or other artificial lighting, you can rely on our good friend Mother Nature. Locate a room with the best light source, or if the weather cooperates and the noise levels are low, conduct some of your meetings outside.
It may take a few tries with various light sources and camera settings to get the right amount of quality lighting for your video meetings, but you’ll get there. Here’s looking at you!
For more information reach out to us at info@pulsetechnology.com
