Lighting is very important in photography and videography, especially when you are using a phone.
Depending on your type of phone, you may not be able to increase exposure. Exposure control allows you to make more light come into the phone at the point of taking the photograph or shooting the video.
This function makes it possible for you to have a well illuminated image. However, the phone is limited to how much it can stretch ISO
Basically, the technical term for this is ISO. You must have seen it in your phone. The ISO refers to the sensitivity or the camera’s sensor. It is a setting you use in controlling exposure.
To allow for more light when you want to take a picture, open your camera and look out for a light bulb showing on your screen. If it is not showing, touch the screen once the camera is open and it will show up.
Place a finger on it and drag it up or down. As you drag it up, you increase the light. when you take it down, you reduce the light exposure.
However, at some time of the day, precisely night, you will need additional lighting for you to get a great image. Also, when you take a picture indoor, you need a good lighting system to get a good image.
Unfortunately, to get a good light is expensive; except you want to settle for small ring light that will require that your subject gets so close to the light for it to make a reasonable effect.
Alternatively, you can make your own light.
If you will love to make your own lighting system, follow the tips below.
1. Decide Size Of Light(s)
First, you will need to make up your mind on what type of light you want.
A good lighting system for photography is triangular in nature. Lights have to come on the subject from three different sides.
Two strong lights from the right and left sides. A lesser light should come from the back to give a good effect.
This is for taking photographs of persons. Together, they swallow up shadow.
But for product photography, you can make do with just one good light.
However, each time you want to make a product photo, you have to hold the light and position it in a way that shadow will not show.
The size of the light you need comes in here because the bigger the light, the more effective it is for your phone.
The type of image you intend to create with you phone should further determine how your light should be.
2. Get Your Light Stand
A stand is necessary because it helps your light stay in place for photography.
For the triangular light, you need two stands that will be by the two sides, as shown above.
These stands will carry the two lights that will shine on the subject.
Having the light come from two sides helps ensure that no shadow falls to the left or right of the subject.
You can check with people who sell cameras for these light stands or check online shops.
While buying the stand, ask for a hanger that you will use to hold a round surface light in place.
If it is not available you may need to go to a welder and request for a U-shaped flat iron that you can fix to the light stand and hang your light.
See the image above for what this shaped iron looks like.
3. Get Your Light Bulbs
There are different light bulbs that are available for you.
This depends on the size of the light that you picked earlier.
This round surface light bulbs can work for you. But you need to make few tweaks to it for it to work for photography light.
I will explain this tweak later.
One thing you have to do is to consider the wattage of the light. The higher the wattage, the brighter the light will shine on your subject.
4. Get Your Cable, Control Switch And Sockets
Here, you will also have to decide how long you want your light cables to be. Remember that sockets where you can plug them when you go out to shoot, may be far and you need a long cable to make your light useful.
So, decide how long the cable for your light should be.
Check with people who sell electrical parts and buy a beautiful cable that will work for your light.
Explain what you want to use it for to the seller and you are sure to get a good cable that will suit your lighting system.
Also, get sockets that you will connect the cables to. If you are not sure of how to run the cable connections to the right place, ask the seller for help.
Remember that the cables and sockets have to be 2. You will fit each to a light.
Also, get two control switches that will be connected to the cable to enable you put the light on and off.
These is necessary so that you can save energy and time. You don’t need to go to where the wall socket is to switch it off.
How To Make Your Own Lighting System
Now that you have everything in place, it is time to do a little tweak on the bulb. Add a hole to the surface bulb by the side.
You can use an iron to create the hole by the two sides of the bulb. Put the iron in fire and pierce through the rubber side of the light bulb. For me, I used a plate and I opened the plate in two opposite sides.
Have You Read: Best Phone Camera Setting For Shooting Quality Photos
You will need a short bolt and nut that you will use to hold the brace to the bulb as seen in the picture above.
Open the light bulb and add the bolt from inside then you tie it to the fabricated iron with the nut.
Also, ensure that the welder opens the lower part of the brace by the center of the iron. This is where you will fix to the stand.
In the picture above, you will see how I fixed the iron to the stand to hold the light in place.
Do the same for the other bulb and you have your two lights ready for your photography.
This is a way of making your own lighting system for photography or videography.
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