10.11.2020

Three tips to effectively illuminate your WEBINAR or your Distance Learning.

2020 is the year of 'smart-working', 'Distance Learning', 'webinars' and 'calls'. Terms that have now become part of our daily Italian vocabulary and that outline new ways of participating in courses and lessons, working and meeting.

Through the PC monitor we enter the homes of many people at the same time, and despite the lack of physical contact, we can get to know these people even more, simply by peeking over their shoulders or on their desk.

Let's face it, they often tore a smile from us, when we saw the busy mom in the kitchen, the cleaning lady running into the corridor so as not to be seen, the noisy children entering mom and dad's study, who were on a course, or a meeting.

We all become a little more 'normal' and common when we let the people we work with or for, enter our homes, looking out from the Zoom or Skype camera or who knows what other application we have installed.

We at Luxelt always have an eye on lighting. Both when it exists, when it is interesting or perfect, and when unfortunately it is scarce and inadequate.

We have therefore thought of giving you some bright advice, to make your home environment suitable for holding live or recorded online conversations, both for professionals, for teachers and professors dealing with the Distance Learning, and for the users themselves, who are often called to talk, and therefore to show themselves.

 

TIP NUMBER 1. IMPROVE THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHTING.

The light in the room must be sufficiently adequate to avoid the dark effect all around you, which makes the viewer believe that the time is shortly before you put on your pajamas.

The time has come, therefore, to change the old LED bulb that you put in the ceiling light a few years ago, with a more performing one. The constant evolution of the world of LEDs has led to the creation of very bright light bulbs with small dimensions, suitable for your dear and practical ceiling light.

The color of the light? If possible neutral, but we understand the need for warm light lighting in domestic environments: so warm light is suitable, as long as it is not amber, therefore not less than 3000K. The color of light has important consequences on the level of attention and performance.

The position of the light source, in case of a single light point, should never be behind you, otherwise the focus of the webcam could lead to two unpleasant situations:

  • Excessive light (glare) behind you, annoying for the user
  • Your face dimly lit or completely dark, also very annoying to the user.

 

TIP NUMBER 2. IF POSSIBLE, INTERVENE WITH THE LIGHTING PERPENDICULAR TO THE DESK.

We Italians are great gesticulators. Our gestures are part of our way of expressing ourselves, they keep the conversation alive and dynamic, they express openness, creating interest and relationship with the public.

With this premise, you can therefore understand how important the general lighting of the environment is, but at the same time it is important that you are visible at least half-length. Your gestures 'above the desk' must therefore be well illuminated by a pendant lamp.

When you are about to purchase a pendant lamp, take care to choose a product with diffused light, which will draw soft and natural shadows. Sharp shadows and strong contrasts, as well as creating erroneous optical effects, will more easily tire your interlocutors.

Take care to install this pendant lamp so that it is not visible on video and at a certain distance from your head, to prevent your hair from reflecting the light excessively.

 

TIP NUMBER 3. TURN ON THE FRONT LIGHTING.

If you cannot install a pendant light above your desk, you may want to consider using a desk lamp, oriented slightly towards you.

The LEDs of the most common webcams, as well as the cameras integrated into your screens, are sometimes not enough. So it happens that you remain in the shade, gradually losing the attention of your audience who, tired of not seeing your face clearly, will seek distraction by using other applications and leaving you alone in the background.

A desk lamp turned on behind the line of the screen, in a central position or at the right or left ends, will effectively illuminate both your face and the bust, thus also showing your gestures. Choose a lamp with diffused light, position it showing your best side and good work!