Natural Light vs. Artificial Light for Video Calls

The right lighting can make or break how you appear on video calls. Natural light is soft and flattering but unpredictable. Artificial light is consistent and adjustable but requires setup. Here's a quick breakdown:

Natural Light: Free, soft, and flattering but changes with time and weather.
Artificial Light: Reliable, adjustable, and usable anytime but needs equipment and setup.
Best Option: Combine both - use natural light as a base and supplement with artificial light for consistency.

Quick Comparison Table

Aspect	Natural Light	Artificial Light
Cost	Free	Requires investment
Consistency	Varies with time/weather	Reliable and steady
Control	Limited	Full control over settings
Setup Complexity	Simple	Requires adjustments
Best Use	Daytime	Anytime

For a polished look, position yourself near a window for natural light and add artificial lighting to fill shadows or balance brightness. Matching color temperatures (5,000K–6,500K) ensures a natural appearance. Experiment with angles and brightness to find what works best for your setup.

Look good on Zoom with these 3 webcam lighting tips

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Natural Light for Video Calls

Natural light is often considered the gold standard for video calls, offering a free and effective way to improve your on-camera presence.

Advantages of Natural Light

Natural light provides a soft, flattering glow that can enhance your appearance during video calls. Plus, it’s a cost-free lighting option that eliminates the need for additional equipment. Interestingly, studies reveal that 47% of employees feel tired without natural light, and 43% report feeling gloomy in its absence. A workspace with natural light is also linked to higher job satisfaction. Another appealing aspect of natural light is how it changes throughout the day, offering different tones and intensities that can naturally adjust your look.

Drawbacks of Natural Light

That said, natural light isn’t without its challenges. It’s unpredictable and depends on factors like the weather and time of day. It can also create issues like glare and harsh shadows. Michael Hession, Wirecutter’s head of photography and video, highlights a common mistake:

"The first rule of natural light is don't have it behind you. If you're backlit like this, your face is going to look too dark or your background's going to look too bright".

How to Use Natural Light Effectively

To make the most of natural light, position your desk near a window with the light source directed toward you, ideally at a 45° angle to your face. Becca Farsace, Video Director at The Verge, advises:

"Open up your shades and let the natural light pour in, but don't let all that light hit your back".

If your window faces east or west, try positioning your setup to face north or south to avoid harsh light. Early mornings and late afternoons are generally the best times for natural light, as the light is softer and less direct. To control the intensity, use blinds, curtains, or sheer drapes to diffuse sunlight and prevent it from shining directly on your face. When the sun is especially bright, consider using a portable diffuser or moving to a shaded area for more balanced lighting. Lastly, ensure your webcam is set at eye level for the best framing.

Lighting expert Casey Vogt sums it up perfectly:

"Natural light can be your best friend, but it needs to be controlled".

While natural light offers a beautiful and dynamic option for video calls, its unpredictability often makes it beneficial to pair it with artificial lighting for more consistent results.

Artificial Light for Video Calls

Artificial lighting gives you complete control over how you appear on camera. Unlike natural light, which changes throughout the day, artificial light ensures a steady, professional look, no matter the time or weather.

Advantages of Artificial Light

Consistency: Natural light is unpredictable and shifts with the weather and time of day. Artificial lighting, on the other hand, provides a stable and reliable source of illumination, ensuring you look the same whether it's morning or evening.
Adjustability: You can fine-tune artificial lighting to match your needs. Adjust the brightness and color temperature to create a warm, inviting tone (2,700K–3,500K) or a cooler, professional vibe (5,000K–6,500K).
Reliability: For important meetings or presentations, controlled lighting is essential to avoid any surprises.
Versatility: From ring lights that offer soft, even illumination to compact panel lights that are easy to adjust, there’s a wide range of options to suit your setup.

Drawbacks of Artificial Light

Shadows and Color Issues: Poorly placed lights can create harsh shadows or overly bright spots, making your appearance look unnatural.
Color Temperature Mismatches: Mixing artificial light sources - or combining them with natural light - can result in inconsistent tones and distracting color casts on your face.
Setup Challenges: Unlike simply relying on natural light from a window, artificial lighting requires equipment, proper positioning, and adjustments to get the best results.

How to Use Artificial Light Effectively

Invest in Quality LED Lights: LED lights are energy-efficient, long-lasting, and versatile. They consume up to 80% less energy than traditional bulbs, generate minimal heat, and offer a wide range of color options. Here's a quick comparison:

Feature	LED Lights	Fluorescent Lights
Energy Efficiency	Extremely efficient, up to 80% savings	Moderately efficient
Lifespan	Over 20 years	Longer than incandescent bulbs
Light Quality	Offers excellent color rendering	Bright but can flicker or feel harsh
Environmental Impact	Mercury-free, eco-friendly	Contains mercury, needs proper disposal

Position Lights Strategically: To avoid unflattering shadows, place your main light source directly in front of you or at a slight 45° angle. TechCrunch Editor Darrell Etherington suggests:

"Ideally, you should position yourself so that the source of brightest light is positioned behind your camera (and above it, if possible)."

For best results, aim to place lights slightly above eye level and angle them downward to create a flattering effect.

Layer Your Lighting Setup: Use a combination of key lights, fill lights, and diffusers to create balanced and professional lighting. For example, a key light with 600–800 lumens paired with a softer fill light of around 300 lumens can reduce harsh shadows. Adding a secondary light on one side of your face introduces depth, while a soft background light helps separate you from your surroundings.

Set the Right Color Temperature: Stick to a consistent daylight setting of around 6,500K for a natural and distraction-free appearance. Matching the color temperature across all light sources is crucial to avoid a patchy or uneven look.

To enhance your lighting setup, consider tools like the Lumina 4K Webcam, which uses AI to adjust your image automatically under various lighting conditions. Its advanced sensor technology pairs seamlessly with artificial light to deliver sharp, high-quality video.

Natural vs. Artificial Light Comparison

Choosing between natural and artificial light can make a big difference in how you appear on camera. Each option has its strengths and challenges, and understanding these can help you decide what works best for your needs. Let’s start by breaking down the qualities of natural light.

Natural light is often considered the gold standard for video lighting. It offers a soft, flattering glow that adds warmth and approachability to your appearance.

But natural light isn’t always reliable. Weather conditions, the time of day, and even the season can drastically change how you look on screen. The perfect lighting at 10:00 AM could leave you in shadows by mid-afternoon.

On the other hand, artificial light gives you consistency and control that natural light simply can’t match. With artificial lighting, you can maintain a polished, professional look at any time of day. Adjustable brightness and color temperature let you tailor the lighting to suit your skin tone and create the right atmosphere for different meetings.

However, artificial lighting isn’t without its challenges. If not set up correctly, it can create harsh shadows or unnatural colors. Unlike natural light, achieving a professional result with artificial lighting often requires more equipment and a bit of technical know-how.

Here’s a quick comparison to help illustrate the differences:

Comparison Table

Aspect	Natural Light	Artificial Light
Cost	Free - no equipment needed	Requires investment in LED lights or panels
Consistency	Changes with time and weather	Reliable and steady illumination
Control	Limited - depends on windows and daylight	Full control over brightness and color
Setup Complexity	Simple - just position near a window	Requires adjustments and possibly multiple lights
Appearance Quality	Soft, warm, and flattering	Can look professional but may seem less natural
Best Time to Use	Daytime, especially mid-morning	Anytime, especially evenings or windowless rooms
Common Issues	Glare, shadows, inconsistent brightness	Harsh shadows, color mismatches
Flexibility	Limited to daylight hours	Usable 24/7

Ultimately, the choice between natural and artificial light comes down to your specific needs and priorities. If your calls are mostly during the day and you have access to good window lighting, natural light might be all you need. But for those who need reliable lighting at any time or in any setting, artificial lighting offers the consistency and control to maintain a professional look.

In fact, many people find that a combination of both works best. Using natural light as a base and adding artificial light to fill shadows or balance brightness can give you the perfect setup for any situation.

How to Combine Natural and Artificial Light

Blending natural and artificial light can create a polished, professional look for your video calls. The warmth and softness of natural light paired with the consistency and control of artificial lighting ensure your setup works seamlessly throughout the day. When done right, this combination provides even, flattering illumination that adapts to any time or condition.

Mixing Light Sources

To effectively merge natural and artificial lighting, you need to understand how they interact to create balanced illumination. Natural light from a window should act as your primary light source, while artificial lighting fills in shadows and maintains consistency.

Start by positioning yourself so that natural light from a window falls softly on your face. Avoid sitting directly in front of the window - an angled setup works best. To manage overly bright natural light, use diffusers to scatter and soften it. This prevents harsh shadows or overly bright spots on your face.

Next, add artificial lighting at a 45° angle to fill in shadows and ensure even lighting across your face. Matching color temperatures between the two light sources is crucial for a natural look. Daylight typically falls in the range of 5,000K to 6,500K, so opt for LED lights within this range to avoid mismatched tones. A mismatch could make your skin appear unnatural or create an uneven look on camera.

Using diffusers on your artificial lights helps them blend seamlessly with the softer quality of natural light. This prevents artificial lighting from looking overly harsh or clinical compared to the natural light’s warmth.

Adapting to Changing Light

Natural light is dynamic - it shifts in intensity and color throughout the day. To maintain a consistent appearance, you’ll need to adjust your lighting setup as conditions change. This is especially important during long calls or back-to-back meetings.

During peak daylight hours, you can rely more on natural light, with minimal artificial supplementation. As the sun moves or clouds roll in, gradually increase your artificial lighting to compensate for reduced natural light. Adjustable LED panels are particularly useful here, as they allow you to tweak brightness and color temperature on the spot without needing to overhaul your setup.

When evening approaches and natural light fades, artificial lighting becomes your primary source. Position your brightest artificial light in front of you, slightly above your camera. As Darrell Etherington from TechCrunch advises:

"Ideally, you should position yourself so that the source of brightest light is positioned behind your camera (and above it, if possible)".

For ring lights, avoid placing them too close to your face, as this can cause harsh reflections. Instead, position them at a moderate distance and angle them slightly to the side or above to create softer, more flattering light.

As natural light diminishes, pay attention to your background lighting. Adding accent lights behind you helps maintain depth and prevents your background from appearing too dark. This creates a more balanced image and keeps your setup looking professional, even in low-light conditions.

If you’re working with mixed lighting sources, tools like the Lumina 4K Webcam can be a game-changer. Its advanced image adjustment software automatically fine-tunes your appearance, ensuring you look your best regardless of how the lighting changes throughout the day.

Conclusion: Selecting the Best Lighting Setup

Choosing the right lighting setup depends on your workspace and daily routine. Natural light is great for accurate color rendering and provides a flattering look. However, it can be unpredictable, creating harsh shadows or changing throughout the day. Artificial light, on the other hand, is consistent and adjustable, but it requires careful tuning to avoid harsh glare or mismatched color tones.

For a well-balanced look, many professionals find that combining both light sources works best. Use natural light from a window as your main source, and supplement it with artificial lighting to fill in shadows and keep the lighting consistent as the day progresses. To ensure a seamless blend, set your artificial light to a color temperature between 5,000K and 6,500K, which closely matches natural daylight.

Fine-tuning your setup is key. Use your video conferencing preview to adjust brightness, angles, and color temperature. Start with a key light output of about 600–800 lumens and tweak it until it looks right on camera. If you often have evening calls, position your brightest artificial light in front of you, slightly above the camera, to eliminate unflattering shadows.

Modern tools can also make a big difference. The Lumina 4K Webcam is a great example, offering advanced image adjustment software that optimizes your appearance in any lighting. With over 30 settings in the Lumina Studio App - including exposure and white balance controls - its AI-powered features, like active color calibration and curve lift technology, help highlight important details.

Experimentation is your best friend when it comes to perfecting your lighting. Try different setups, adjust your angles, and refine based on what you see or feedback from others. A well-lit setup not only enhances your on-camera appearance but also boosts your confidence during calls.

FAQs

How can I use both natural and artificial light to look great on video calls all day?

To ensure you look your best on video calls, start by making natural light your go-to lighting source. Position yourself so you're facing a window - this setup provides soft, even daylight that flatters your appearance. If the sunlight shifts or creates harsh shadows as the day progresses, you can balance things out with artificial lighting. Placing a lamp or light source at a 45-degree angle to your face works wonders for creating a polished and professional look.

For added flexibility, consider using adjustable lights with color-temperature controls. These allow you to match the tone of natural light, keeping your appearance consistent even as outdoor lighting changes. Make small adjustments to your setup throughout the day to ensure you're always well-lit and camera-ready.

What are the most common mistakes to avoid when using natural light for video calls?

When arranging natural light for video calls, steer clear of having a window or bright light source directly behind you. This setup can create a silhouette effect, making it hard for others to see your face clearly. Backlighting is a common pitfall that many encounter.

Another frequent misstep is depending entirely on natural light without adding supplementary lighting. This approach can result in uneven brightness or harsh shadows, especially since natural light shifts throughout the day. To improve your lighting, try facing a window or placing the light source slightly to the side. This creates a softer, more flattering glow. Be mindful to avoid extreme contrasts that might obscure your features.

For a polished and professional look, you might want to explore tools like the Lumina 4K Webcam. It comes equipped with features like AI-powered adjustments and depth-sensing technology, ensuring high-quality video, even if your lighting setup isn’t perfect.

What’s the best way to use artificial lighting with natural light for a great video call setup?

To look polished and professional on video calls, it’s all about getting the lighting right. Combining natural light with good artificial lighting can make a big difference. For artificial options, LED lights with a color temperature between 5200K and 6400K are ideal since they mimic natural daylight. Soft, diffused lights - like ring lights, panel lights, or desk lamps - are great for even illumination without harsh shadows.

Placement matters too. Position your lights slightly in front of you at angles around 11 and 2 o’clock, and just above eye level. This setup ensures balanced lighting, reduces glare, and minimizes shadows - perfect for times when natural light isn’t reliable. With this mix of lighting techniques, you can boost your visibility and look sharp on any video call.

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