As the COVID-19 pandemic is easing up, more and more companies are allowing their employees to continue working from home. Video conferencing is a must-have technology for anyone working from home. Here we want to describe the best home office lighting for computer work and Zoom meetings.
To have amazing online meetings, you must ensure that you have high-quality videos. Sometimes all you need to improve your video quality is good lighting. To look your best, the light source needs to be sufficient and soft. Natural light usually provides very high-quality videos. However, it is sometimes impossible to get natural light into our workspaces. The following are the best ways to light a zoom call when you can’t get sufficient natural light into your workspace.
1. Use high quality warm LED bulbs in your standard desk lamp
By using high-quality, warm LED bulbs in your desk lamp, you can lighten up your workspace and enhance your image. The lamp must be pointed away from you to allow for reflected light, preferably to a wall in front of you. This will make the light softer which will give you a more flattering appearance as the light will spread across your face.
Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure of how objects look under a light source as compared to under natural light. When selecting LED bulbs, ensure you buy a bulb with high CRI (90+) as it is closer to natural light.
2. Consider a desk-sized LED panel light with high quality LEDs
This LED panel light is a bit more professional. You can place this light on your desk and adjust its arm to direct light to any area of your workspace.
The LED panel light is made of RGB LEDs, and this means you can regulate the hues of the light to get different colors. The panel can also bounce light off a wall to provide a nice and more flattering, soft light.
3. Use a ring light
Another great way to light a zoom call is by using a ring light, also known as a circle light, which is an affordable light source for illuminating your workspace. You will therefore see ring lights being used for beauty and TikTok videos. While not the most beautiful light sources, they do the job.
Ring lights provide 360 degrees lighting and this is perfect for facial lighting. The light is spread out more and there will be fewer shadows around your nose, eyes, and chin. The ring light is usually placed in front of an individual. Setting the light too high or too low can cause unappealing shadows around the face. Moving the ring light farther away from your face softens the shadows.
4. Studio Lighting
A studio lighting setup is the best option if you want to achieve high-quality lighting for your home office. Studio lighting kits usually come with three-point lights: one key light and two fill lights. Studio lights will get rid of unwanted shadows because they provide you with complete control. The downside of studio lighting is that is usually not attractive and it takes up more space in your home or home office.
There are many ways to set up studio lights depending on whether you want a specific effect, mood, or depth. To get the best results ensure the key light is the brightest in your setup. The light should be at a 45-degree angle to the person as this will provide a softer look.
Fill lights are the second pair of lights used in studio lighting. They are meant to fill up the workspace with light. Backlights can also be used to provide more lighting from the back, and this helps provide depth and dimension to a video.
More people are choosing to work from home now. Virtual Zoom conferences have therefore become a part of daily routine. However, many meetings have been impacted by poor video quality as people work from make-shift home offices and kitchen countertops. You can improve video quality by focusing on lighting in your home office. You could use high CRI bulbs, an LED panel light, ring lights, and studio lighting in your workspace.
5. Decorative Lighting that serves double duty – The optimal choice
When working from home, we often don’t have a dedicated office space. The space we use as an office during the day may also serve as our living space when we entertain in the evenings and on weekends. Regardless of whether others see the space, this is our home and we want to make it feel warm, tasteful, and cozy. Lighting can elevate your mood and bring you joy whether at work or play.
While you can buy inexpensive ring lights or studio lights, you are best advised to invest in higher-quality decorative lighting that serves to beautify your home and make you look your best at video conferences. Functional lighting does not have to be clinical and ugly. When making a lighting purchase decision, it is best to buy a design that you love and that is built to last, possibly a lifetime when it will be in your living and working space for most of your waking hours. When making that purchase decision, buy quality and lighting that will make you look your best when relaxing with friends and family at home and when on video calls.
