Budget-Friendly Lighting and Audio Hacks for Creators
You don’t have to spend thousands on lighting and audio equipment to create high-quality, aesthetically pleasing content. In fact, there are lots of budget-friendly hacks that can mimic the effects of expensive equipment – and some of them are completely free!
From DIY softboxes to free editing programmes, we list our top lighting and audio hacks for better content creation below.
DIY lighting: tips and hacks
Lighting can make or break the quality of your video – that’s why it’s so important to get it right. Luckily, illuminating your space or subject isn’t difficult, and it doesn’t have to be expensive, either!
Harness natural light where possible
Natural daylight is often the best (and always the cheapest) lighting option. It’s soft and flattering, and provides the most realistic representation of your subject.
The best time to film in natural daylight is during the morning or the late afternoon. This will provide a consistent pool of bright light while reducing the chance of overexposure.
Filming in the early evening is also an option if you want to achieve the ‘golden hour’ effect. However, filming later in the day might not be suitable for longer videos, as the temperature and brightness of the light tends to change a lot during this time.
Natural daylight hack: use sheer curtains to soften direct sunlight and avoid harsh shadows. The curtains will help diffuse the light, creating a soft, professional, and evenly lit result – all for free!
DIY reflectors
Light reflectors help bounce light onto your subject, filling in any shadows to create an evenly lit scene. A professional reflector will usually set you back anywhere from £20 to £100+, but you can make your own at home for free!
DIY light reflector hack: use anything white or reflective to make your own light reflector. Lightweight materials will be easiest to prop up and work with. Blank picture frames, white polystyrene foam and even cardboard covered with tinfoil work well. Position your DIY light reflector so that it bounces light from the source onto your subject. You might need to experiment with a few distances and angles before getting it right.
DIY softboxes
Softboxes are used in photography to diffuse harsh light and reduce shadows. A professional softbox setup usually costs anywhere from £25-£100+, but it’s easy to create the same effect using household items.
DIY softbox hack: create your own softbox by covering a cheap LED work light with a white shower curtain, cloth, or even baking paper. If you don’t have a work light on hand, a regular lamp with a bright white bulb can work too. Just make sure that the bulbs are LED – old, incandescent bulbs get very hot and can melt the cover material/start a fire!
DIY coloured lights
Coloured lights can give your background a more professional feel and help you create the right vibe for your content. But coloured LED lights and strips can be very expensive, especially if you want the option of different colours.
DIY coloured lights hack: stick coloured gel filters over LED lights or bright white lamps for colourful lights without the hefty price tag. Make sure the bulbs you’re covering are LED – other kinds of bulbs can get very hot and melt the filters.
Use lights you already have for your background
While the lights you have around your home might not be strong enough to illuminate your subject, they could still be useful for your background. Using lamps as backlights will add ambience to your video and make the scene feel more professional and put together. Backlights are particularly useful for talking head and interview-style videos.
Experiment with angles and distances
The source, angle, and distance of your lighting will make a huge difference to your video quality. Having an artificial light source close to your face may help even out your skin tone, but it can lead to overexposure and create harsh shadows behind you. Lights that are too far away can also lead to problems with shadows and graininess.
If you’re using an LED light source, the ideal distance is usually around 2 feet from your subject, positioned either directly in front or up to a 45-degree angle. The right configuration will depend on your environment and camera lens, so it’s important to experiment with different setups before recording your content.
Enhance lighting in your editing software
Even if you aren’t happy with the quality of lighting in your current footage, you may be able to salvage it through some clever editing. Free apps like CapCut allow you to adjust the lighting in post-production, changing things like brightness, contrast, and temperature.
Low-cost lighting options
If you’re happy to spend up to £50 on your lighting setup, you might want to explore some of the below low-cost lighting options. They’ll be easier to set up than the above DIY options, and are still a lot cheaper than investing in studio-grade equipment.
Get a cheap ring light
Ring lights are a fantastic low-cost option for talking head videos and close-up shots of your subject. They’re a favourite of many professional content creators because they’re easy to set up and can illuminate faces evenly without casting harsh shadows.
When choosing a ring light, you’ll want to consider what you’ll be using to film your videos. Many ring lights come attached to a tripod with a built-in smartphone holder, which is great if you’re filming on your phone.
If you’re filming with a digital camera, look for a ring light tripod that’s strong enough to hold the heavier weight, or choose a clip-on ring light you can attach to something near your subject.
Get LED panel lights
LED panel lights offer the same benefits as a ring light in that they illuminate a space evenly, and are portable and affordable. The main difference is that they tend to be bigger, making them more suitable for filming larger spaces. You can pick up a cheap LED panel light for around £25. Just bear in mind that you’ll either have to attach it to a wall or purchase a stand to hold it up.
Tips and hacks for better audio quality
Sound design is often an afterthought for beginner content creators, but it actually has a huge impact on video quality, and is certainly something you should aim to improve.
While professional sound design can be very expensive, you can DIY your way to better sound quality for next to no cost. Here’s how:
DIY soundproofing
When you think of soundproofing, you might envision huge foamy wall panels that carry an equally large price tag. And while this is what a professional setup might include, it’s not entirely necessary to achieve great sound quality.
In fact, when it comes to sound design, a little goes a long way, and you certainly don’t need to use any sophisticated equipment. Soft furnishings actually do an amazing job at dampening noise, reducing echo, and absorbing harsh sounds, making them the perfect tools for DIY soundproofing.
DIY soundproofing hack: when recording your voiceover or video, surround yourself with blankets, cushions, or as many soft materials as possible. Record in a room with carpet or thick curtains, or go one step further and record in your wardrobe!
Record in a quiet room
From dishwashers to fans, we often don’t notice everyday household noises until they distort our audio quality. The easiest way to avoid these is to record in a quiet, appliance-free room. Bedrooms tend to be a great option, as they usually contain lots of soft furnishings that help absorb any noise that might interfere with your sound quality.
Reduce noise in post-production
Free editing programs like Audacity, DaVinci Resolve, or CapCut can be very effective at reducing background noise. These programs have dedicated noise-reduction features that can drastically improve the quality of your audio at the click of a button.
Adding a backing track to your content can also help mask any unwanted noise while making your video more engaging. Websites like Pixabay have thousands of free-to-use music tracks to choose from.
Low-cost audio options
You don’t have to invest in super-expensive equipment to improve your audio. Below are a few low-cost upgrades you can try for under £50.
Get a clip-on microphone
Clip-on (lavalier) microphones are discreet and can be attached to your clothing in a fixed position. Wireless clip-on mics are great for maintaining consistent sound quality and volume, which is helpful if you’re recording your video from different angles or distances.
Even cheap clip-on microphones tend to be better quality than most built-in phone or camera microphones. You can pick up a cheap wireless clip-on mic for as little as £25. Most of them can be plugged directly into your phone or digital camera too – just be sure to check they’re compatible with your recording device before purchasing.
Positioning your microphone correctly: try to get your microphone as close to your mouth as possible without distorting the audio. This is usually around 6-8 inches away from your face. If you’re using a clip-on microphone, place it in a position where it won’t pick up on any rustling created by your clothes when moving around. The centre of your chest or just to the side of it tends to work well.
DIY pop filter
Pop filters reduce the harsh sounds created when you pronounce ‘P’ and ‘B’ sounds. Although you can pick one up for quite cheap, it’s also easy to make your own.
DIY pop filter hack: create your own pop filter by wrapping a pair of tights around a wire hanger and positioning it 3-6 inches directly in front of your microphone.
Buy secondhand equipment
Shopping for secondhand lighting and audio equipment is the easiest way to save on your setup. You might even be able to buy professional equipment at a fraction of the cost of buying from new.
Even cheap lights and audio equipment will have a decent lifespan so long as they’re well looked after. Sellers on Facebook Marketplace often just want to get rid of equipment they don’t use without waste, listing items like ring lights for as little as £5.
When shopping for secondhand items, be sure to test the equipment before purchasing if possible, and check the seller’s reviews to make sure it’s not a scam.