Lighting for Video & Photo: Natural Light, Ring Lights & Softboxes
Take this course on Anga
Track your progress, do the practical exercises and pass the module quizzes — complete the course and earn a verified certificate you can download as a PDF or share anywhere. Free to join, learn at your own pace.
What you'll learn
- Set up a three-point lighting setup for phone or mirrorless video and photo shoots.
- Use window and outdoor light (golden hour, shade, backlight) to flatter skin tones and products.
- Assemble a practical starter lighting kit within common Kenyan budgets (KSh 5,000–20,000 / ~$35–150) using local vendors or marketplaces.
- Use ring lights, softboxes and LED panels correctly and modify them with simple DIY diffusion and reflectors.
- Apply low-cost, safe DIY hacks (reflectors, diffusers, mounts) to improve shoots in county towns and Nairobi homes.
- Write lighting notes and price lighting as an add-on for brand campaigns on Anga; deliver files and get paid via M-Pesa.
Course curriculum
Module 1
Foundations of Light for Video & Photo
Understand why light matters: the qualities of light, colour temperature, exposure and how phones record light. These basics make every practical setup easier and faster.
Module 2
Natural Light Mastery — Window, Golden Hour & Outdoors
Practical techniques for using available sunlight — whether in a Nairobi apartment, a county-town shop, or an outdoor market — to create flattering, repeatable results.
Module 3
Affordable Artificial Lights & Gear (Kenya-focused)
Hands-on guidance on ring lights, LED panels, softboxes and batteries — what to buy locally, how much to expect in KSh, and how to avoid common pitfalls when shopping in Nairobi or online.
Module 4
Practical Setups: Portraits, Vlogs, Product & Three-Point Lighting
Step-by-step setups you can recreate with a phone and one or two lights: three-point lighting, clamshell beauty, product tabletop and quick vlogger rigs for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Module 5
Budget Hacks, DIY Builds & Safety
Low-cost solutions and safe DIY builds for creators outside big studios — from using Safaricom-branded tarps to building a softbox from foam board — plus electrical safety, cable management and local sourcing tips.
Module 6
Shooting to Brief, Delivering Files & Pricing Lighting Services
Turn your lighting work into paid jobs: how to match a brand brief, write lighting notes, prepare deliverables (file types, LUTs, thumbnails), price lighting as an add-on and communicate via WhatsApp and Anga for secure payment (M-Pesa payouts).
Prefer to start with an article? Read Video Lighting Course for Creators (2026): Natural & Studio from our blog.