How to properly light the room for a video conference

Thursday, June 27 2013

While it may not be the first matter you handle before your video conference, lighting is actually critical to the overall effectiveness of a digital meeting. Without proper illumination, your image will appear distorted to other participants and will likely distract from the discussion at hand. 

There are some basic rules you should follow when it comes to lighting a room before you use video conferencing technology. According to Fast Company, the key is to keep the light source in front of you, not behind you. From this position, the light will fall over your face so that your webcam will display a high quality image. 

When the light source is to your back, your hardware will have to compensate from the lack of available illumination, resulting in a poor broadcast. The only time you can have light behind you is if there's another source in front of you for balance. 

Additionally, if there is a rear light source, you must ensure that it's not overly bright because that would cause glare and bother other participants. Conduct a test conference to find the optimal lighting settings before logging in and speaking with your contacts.