Watch and learn the difference between “YouTube lighting” vs “cinematic lighting”

I thought this was quite an interesting video. It’s an interesting take on how we light for different subject matter. It isn’t saying that one method of lighting is necessarily better or worse than the other, just that the goals of the shoot are very different, the final use for the footage is also very different and so the lighting needs to be different.

In this video, filmmaker Tyler Stalman shows us how we can light both ways using the same equipment. But as well as simply showing us, he also goes into the why of how we light these two things differently and the motivation behind it.

The video begins with a very cool transition from the YouTube camera and lighting setup into something more cinematic, and the clip looks very different by the end from where it started out. And, it just goes to show why cinematic lighting and filming techniques aren’t always the best choice for something like a vlog.

Of course, if you’re trying to create something that’s has a bit more of a creative narrative and story, a head-on camera with a lot of illumination isn’t always the best way to go, either.

Whichever method you use, though, the video illustrates how you can get both looks with the same lighting kit. And sometimes you might want to use both lighting and filming techniques in the same video, depending on what it is you’re trying to achieve.

Well worth a watch if you’re struggling with lighting for your videos and not sure which way you want to go.

[via ISO1200]