Effortless View Growth: Uncovering the Best Video Tips and Hacks

YouTube Shortcuts You Should Know in 2024

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube, as one of the most popular free streaming video portals, the majority of people use it, probably several times a day. However, how many of you know that there are more than 20 shortcuts that help you use the website comparatively more conveniently?

With that said, the following two-columned tables give you detailed information on the shortcut keys and their respective functions, so you don’t have to grab the mouse every time you want to navigate through the YouTube videos, or do any such similar tasks.

Amazing YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You May Not Know

To make things convenient for you, the shortcut keys are placed under their corresponding categories, where each category is in the form of a two-columned table.

Category 1: YouTube Playback Hotkeys

While watching a YouTube video, there might be instances when you want to pause and resume the playback. This category teaches how this can be done using the keyboard:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘K’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)
‘Spacebar’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)

Category 2: Scrolling YouTube Videos Back and Forth

This section talks about the shortcut keys to skim the video forward and backward during playback:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘L’	Skip the video 10 seconds forward
‘J’	Skip the video 10 seconds backward
‘→’ (Right Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds forward
‘←’ (Left Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds backward
‘SHIFT’ + ‘N’	Skip to the next video in the playlist or to the next suggested video
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘.’ (Period)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘.’ (Period) key repeatedly moves the video forward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘,’ (Comma)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘,’ (Comma) key repeatedly moves the video backward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘0’ (Zero)	Takes the video to the beginning

If you’re watching videos on YouTube mobile app, you can use double-tap on the right side of the video player to skip 10 seconds forward, and double-tap on the left side of the video player to skip the video 10 seconds backward. Every double-tap forwards/rewinds the video in 10-seconds increments. E.g., Tapping 6 times on the right skips the video 30 seconds forward. Tapping 6 times on the left skips the video 30 seconds backward.

Long press the Video Player and swipe right will navigate the video forward; and long press the video player and wwipe left will navigate the video backward.

Category 3: Manage Playback Speed

This category contains information on increasing or decreasing the playback speed of a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘.’ (Period)	Increase playback speed
‘SHIFT’ + ‘,’ (Comma)	Decrease playback speed

Category 4: Managing the Captions

This category talks about managing the video captions using the shortcut keys:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘C’	Enable or disable captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘O’ (The letter O)	Increase or decrease the brightness level of the captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘W’	Enable, increase, and disable the background transparency of the captions (Press multiple times to manage intensity)
‘-‘ (Minus Key)	Reduce the font size of the captions (Minus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘+’ (Plus Key)	Increase the font size of the captions (Plus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)

Category 5: Managing the Audio Video

This category shows the shortcut keys to manage audio for a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘M’	Mute YouTube video
‘↑’	Increase volume by 5%
‘↓’	Decrease volume by 5%

Category 6: Switching Between Screen Modes

The shortcut keys given in this table enable you to switch between different screen modes:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘F’	Switch between the full-screen and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘T’	Switch between the theater and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘I’	Switch between the independent player and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)

Double press F/T/I on the keyboard will exit the full-screen/theater model/independent mode accordingly.

If you are watching video on YouTube mobile app, you can swipe up the video slightly to enter the full screen mode, and swipe down the video slightly to exit the full screen.

Category 7: Viewing 360o/VR Videos

In this category, the navigation and management of shortcut keys for 360o and Virtual Reality (VR) view are discussed:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘W’, ‘A’, ‘S’, ‘D’	Up, left, down, and right camera panning respectively
‘+’ (Plus Key on Numpad)	Zoom in
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Numpad)	Zoom out
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Keyboard)	Decrease font size
‘+’ (Plus Key on Keyboard)	Increase font size

Bonus: How to Get the YouTube Shortcut List with One-Click

In this section, you will learn how to pull up the list of important YouTube shortcuts by pressing merely one key:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘?’	Show the important keyboard shortcuts assigned for YouTube

So, when you press the Shift+? on YouTube, you will see a full list of shortcuts.

Conclusion

Watching videos on YouTube is fun, and you can enjoy the clips, movies, tutorials, etc. more if you are well-aware of the important shortcut keys. This not only helps you navigate through the videos faster but also gives you relief from the additional efforts that you would otherwise have to make while grabbing the mouse, and then looking for and using the correct option.

As one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers, Filmora provides lots of effects, title templates, transitions, and elements as well as powerful video editing tools such as instant cutter tool, scene detection , beat detection , motion tracking , animation keyframe, and much more. All these editing features and effects makes Filmora as one of the best video editing software for all creators.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube, as one of the most popular free streaming video portals, the majority of people use it, probably several times a day. However, how many of you know that there are more than 20 shortcuts that help you use the website comparatively more conveniently?

With that said, the following two-columned tables give you detailed information on the shortcut keys and their respective functions, so you don’t have to grab the mouse every time you want to navigate through the YouTube videos, or do any such similar tasks.

Amazing YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You May Not Know

To make things convenient for you, the shortcut keys are placed under their corresponding categories, where each category is in the form of a two-columned table.

Category 1: YouTube Playback Hotkeys

While watching a YouTube video, there might be instances when you want to pause and resume the playback. This category teaches how this can be done using the keyboard:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘K’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)
‘Spacebar’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)

Category 2: Scrolling YouTube Videos Back and Forth

This section talks about the shortcut keys to skim the video forward and backward during playback:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘L’	Skip the video 10 seconds forward
‘J’	Skip the video 10 seconds backward
‘→’ (Right Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds forward
‘←’ (Left Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds backward
‘SHIFT’ + ‘N’	Skip to the next video in the playlist or to the next suggested video
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘.’ (Period)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘.’ (Period) key repeatedly moves the video forward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘,’ (Comma)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘,’ (Comma) key repeatedly moves the video backward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘0’ (Zero)	Takes the video to the beginning

If you’re watching videos on YouTube mobile app, you can use double-tap on the right side of the video player to skip 10 seconds forward, and double-tap on the left side of the video player to skip the video 10 seconds backward. Every double-tap forwards/rewinds the video in 10-seconds increments. E.g., Tapping 6 times on the right skips the video 30 seconds forward. Tapping 6 times on the left skips the video 30 seconds backward.

Long press the Video Player and swipe right will navigate the video forward; and long press the video player and wwipe left will navigate the video backward.

Category 3: Manage Playback Speed

This category contains information on increasing or decreasing the playback speed of a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘.’ (Period)	Increase playback speed
‘SHIFT’ + ‘,’ (Comma)	Decrease playback speed

Category 4: Managing the Captions

This category talks about managing the video captions using the shortcut keys:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘C’	Enable or disable captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘O’ (The letter O)	Increase or decrease the brightness level of the captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘W’	Enable, increase, and disable the background transparency of the captions (Press multiple times to manage intensity)
‘-‘ (Minus Key)	Reduce the font size of the captions (Minus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘+’ (Plus Key)	Increase the font size of the captions (Plus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)

Category 5: Managing the Audio Video

This category shows the shortcut keys to manage audio for a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘M’	Mute YouTube video
‘↑’	Increase volume by 5%
‘↓’	Decrease volume by 5%

Category 6: Switching Between Screen Modes

The shortcut keys given in this table enable you to switch between different screen modes:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘F’	Switch between the full-screen and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘T’	Switch between the theater and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘I’	Switch between the independent player and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)

Double press F/T/I on the keyboard will exit the full-screen/theater model/independent mode accordingly.

If you are watching video on YouTube mobile app, you can swipe up the video slightly to enter the full screen mode, and swipe down the video slightly to exit the full screen.

Category 7: Viewing 360o/VR Videos

In this category, the navigation and management of shortcut keys for 360o and Virtual Reality (VR) view are discussed:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘W’, ‘A’, ‘S’, ‘D’	Up, left, down, and right camera panning respectively
‘+’ (Plus Key on Numpad)	Zoom in
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Numpad)	Zoom out
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Keyboard)	Decrease font size
‘+’ (Plus Key on Keyboard)	Increase font size

Bonus: How to Get the YouTube Shortcut List with One-Click

In this section, you will learn how to pull up the list of important YouTube shortcuts by pressing merely one key:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘?’	Show the important keyboard shortcuts assigned for YouTube

So, when you press the Shift+? on YouTube, you will see a full list of shortcuts.

Conclusion

Watching videos on YouTube is fun, and you can enjoy the clips, movies, tutorials, etc. more if you are well-aware of the important shortcut keys. This not only helps you navigate through the videos faster but also gives you relief from the additional efforts that you would otherwise have to make while grabbing the mouse, and then looking for and using the correct option.

As one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers, Filmora provides lots of effects, title templates, transitions, and elements as well as powerful video editing tools such as instant cutter tool, scene detection , beat detection , motion tracking , animation keyframe, and much more. All these editing features and effects makes Filmora as one of the best video editing software for all creators.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube, as one of the most popular free streaming video portals, the majority of people use it, probably several times a day. However, how many of you know that there are more than 20 shortcuts that help you use the website comparatively more conveniently?

With that said, the following two-columned tables give you detailed information on the shortcut keys and their respective functions, so you don’t have to grab the mouse every time you want to navigate through the YouTube videos, or do any such similar tasks.

Amazing YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You May Not Know

To make things convenient for you, the shortcut keys are placed under their corresponding categories, where each category is in the form of a two-columned table.

Category 1: YouTube Playback Hotkeys

While watching a YouTube video, there might be instances when you want to pause and resume the playback. This category teaches how this can be done using the keyboard:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘K’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)
‘Spacebar’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)

Category 2: Scrolling YouTube Videos Back and Forth

This section talks about the shortcut keys to skim the video forward and backward during playback:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘L’	Skip the video 10 seconds forward
‘J’	Skip the video 10 seconds backward
‘→’ (Right Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds forward
‘←’ (Left Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds backward
‘SHIFT’ + ‘N’	Skip to the next video in the playlist or to the next suggested video
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘.’ (Period)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘.’ (Period) key repeatedly moves the video forward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘,’ (Comma)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘,’ (Comma) key repeatedly moves the video backward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘0’ (Zero)	Takes the video to the beginning

If you’re watching videos on YouTube mobile app, you can use double-tap on the right side of the video player to skip 10 seconds forward, and double-tap on the left side of the video player to skip the video 10 seconds backward. Every double-tap forwards/rewinds the video in 10-seconds increments. E.g., Tapping 6 times on the right skips the video 30 seconds forward. Tapping 6 times on the left skips the video 30 seconds backward.

Long press the Video Player and swipe right will navigate the video forward; and long press the video player and wwipe left will navigate the video backward.

Category 3: Manage Playback Speed

This category contains information on increasing or decreasing the playback speed of a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘.’ (Period)	Increase playback speed
‘SHIFT’ + ‘,’ (Comma)	Decrease playback speed

Category 4: Managing the Captions

This category talks about managing the video captions using the shortcut keys:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘C’	Enable or disable captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘O’ (The letter O)	Increase or decrease the brightness level of the captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘W’	Enable, increase, and disable the background transparency of the captions (Press multiple times to manage intensity)
‘-‘ (Minus Key)	Reduce the font size of the captions (Minus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘+’ (Plus Key)	Increase the font size of the captions (Plus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)

Category 5: Managing the Audio Video

This category shows the shortcut keys to manage audio for a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘M’	Mute YouTube video
‘↑’	Increase volume by 5%
‘↓’	Decrease volume by 5%

Category 6: Switching Between Screen Modes

The shortcut keys given in this table enable you to switch between different screen modes:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘F’	Switch between the full-screen and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘T’	Switch between the theater and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘I’	Switch between the independent player and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)

Double press F/T/I on the keyboard will exit the full-screen/theater model/independent mode accordingly.

If you are watching video on YouTube mobile app, you can swipe up the video slightly to enter the full screen mode, and swipe down the video slightly to exit the full screen.

Category 7: Viewing 360o/VR Videos

In this category, the navigation and management of shortcut keys for 360o and Virtual Reality (VR) view are discussed:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘W’, ‘A’, ‘S’, ‘D’	Up, left, down, and right camera panning respectively
‘+’ (Plus Key on Numpad)	Zoom in
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Numpad)	Zoom out
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Keyboard)	Decrease font size
‘+’ (Plus Key on Keyboard)	Increase font size

Bonus: How to Get the YouTube Shortcut List with One-Click

In this section, you will learn how to pull up the list of important YouTube shortcuts by pressing merely one key:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘?’	Show the important keyboard shortcuts assigned for YouTube

So, when you press the Shift+? on YouTube, you will see a full list of shortcuts.

Conclusion

Watching videos on YouTube is fun, and you can enjoy the clips, movies, tutorials, etc. more if you are well-aware of the important shortcut keys. This not only helps you navigate through the videos faster but also gives you relief from the additional efforts that you would otherwise have to make while grabbing the mouse, and then looking for and using the correct option.

As one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers, Filmora provides lots of effects, title templates, transitions, and elements as well as powerful video editing tools such as instant cutter tool, scene detection , beat detection , motion tracking , animation keyframe, and much more. All these editing features and effects makes Filmora as one of the best video editing software for all creators.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube, as one of the most popular free streaming video portals, the majority of people use it, probably several times a day. However, how many of you know that there are more than 20 shortcuts that help you use the website comparatively more conveniently?

With that said, the following two-columned tables give you detailed information on the shortcut keys and their respective functions, so you don’t have to grab the mouse every time you want to navigate through the YouTube videos, or do any such similar tasks.

Amazing YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You May Not Know

To make things convenient for you, the shortcut keys are placed under their corresponding categories, where each category is in the form of a two-columned table.

Category 1: YouTube Playback Hotkeys

While watching a YouTube video, there might be instances when you want to pause and resume the playback. This category teaches how this can be done using the keyboard:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘K’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)
‘Spacebar’	Play and Pause (Works as a toggle key)

Category 2: Scrolling YouTube Videos Back and Forth

This section talks about the shortcut keys to skim the video forward and backward during playback:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘L’	Skip the video 10 seconds forward
‘J’	Skip the video 10 seconds backward
‘→’ (Right Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds forward
‘←’ (Left Arrow)	Skip the video 5 seconds backward
‘SHIFT’ + ‘N’	Skip to the next video in the playlist or to the next suggested video
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘.’ (Period)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘.’ (Period) key repeatedly moves the video forward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’; then ‘,’ (Comma)	Pressing ‘K’ or ‘Spacebar’ pauses the video; pressing the ‘,’ (Comma) key repeatedly moves the video backward one frame at a time (Period key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘0’ (Zero)	Takes the video to the beginning

If you’re watching videos on YouTube mobile app, you can use double-tap on the right side of the video player to skip 10 seconds forward, and double-tap on the left side of the video player to skip the video 10 seconds backward. Every double-tap forwards/rewinds the video in 10-seconds increments. E.g., Tapping 6 times on the right skips the video 30 seconds forward. Tapping 6 times on the left skips the video 30 seconds backward.

Long press the Video Player and swipe right will navigate the video forward; and long press the video player and wwipe left will navigate the video backward.

Category 3: Manage Playback Speed

This category contains information on increasing or decreasing the playback speed of a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘.’ (Period)	Increase playback speed
‘SHIFT’ + ‘,’ (Comma)	Decrease playback speed

Category 4: Managing the Captions

This category talks about managing the video captions using the shortcut keys:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘C’	Enable or disable captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘O’ (The letter O)	Increase or decrease the brightness level of the captions (Works as a toggle key)
‘W’	Enable, increase, and disable the background transparency of the captions (Press multiple times to manage intensity)
‘-‘ (Minus Key)	Reduce the font size of the captions (Minus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)
‘+’ (Plus Key)	Increase the font size of the captions (Plus key on the Numpad isn’t supported)

Category 5: Managing the Audio Video

This category shows the shortcut keys to manage audio for a YouTube video:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘M’	Mute YouTube video
‘↑’	Increase volume by 5%
‘↓’	Decrease volume by 5%

Category 6: Switching Between Screen Modes

The shortcut keys given in this table enable you to switch between different screen modes:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘F’	Switch between the full-screen and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘T’	Switch between the theater and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)
‘I’	Switch between the independent player and normal mode (Works as a toggle key)

Double press F/T/I on the keyboard will exit the full-screen/theater model/independent mode accordingly.

If you are watching video on YouTube mobile app, you can swipe up the video slightly to enter the full screen mode, and swipe down the video slightly to exit the full screen.

Category 7: Viewing 360o/VR Videos

In this category, the navigation and management of shortcut keys for 360o and Virtual Reality (VR) view are discussed:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘W’, ‘A’, ‘S’, ‘D’	Up, left, down, and right camera panning respectively
‘+’ (Plus Key on Numpad)	Zoom in
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Numpad)	Zoom out
‘-‘ (Minus Key on Keyboard)	Decrease font size
‘+’ (Plus Key on Keyboard)	Increase font size

Bonus: How to Get the YouTube Shortcut List with One-Click

In this section, you will learn how to pull up the list of important YouTube shortcuts by pressing merely one key:

Keyboard Shortcut	Function
‘SHIFT’ + ‘?’	Show the important keyboard shortcuts assigned for YouTube

So, when you press the Shift+? on YouTube, you will see a full list of shortcuts.

Conclusion

Watching videos on YouTube is fun, and you can enjoy the clips, movies, tutorials, etc. more if you are well-aware of the important shortcut keys. This not only helps you navigate through the videos faster but also gives you relief from the additional efforts that you would otherwise have to make while grabbing the mouse, and then looking for and using the correct option.

As one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers, Filmora provides lots of effects, title templates, transitions, and elements as well as powerful video editing tools such as instant cutter tool, scene detection , beat detection , motion tracking , animation keyframe, and much more. All these editing features and effects makes Filmora as one of the best video editing software for all creators.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Dynamic Lighting: Elevating Video Aesthetics

Lighting Tips for Vlogging: How to Light

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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