The Video Light You Carry With You Everywhere

Let me introduce you to a TV foreign correspondent. 

She was and still is top of her game in reporting world events. 

I won’t say her name but know this…

as professional and polished as she was in front of the camera, she was always presenting 9/10 instead of a 10/10. 

I knew why. 

She knew I knew.

But we never spoke about it.

It was a facial blemish she was self-conscious about.

So I’d use the thumbprint filter for her. 

It’s an old Hollywood trick from the glamour days. 

You wipe your thumb on your forehead to pick up a light film of skin oil then press your thumb on the lens. 

As you look through the viewfinder you feather the edges of the smudge with a cloth. It was a poor man’s soft-focus beauty effect.

BUT … here’s the thing. 

I tricked her good!

When I feathered it down with the cloth, bit by bit, I was really wiping the lens clean. 

At the same time, I reassured her she was looking great. 

There was no soft-focus filter but her internal confidence lifted and she looked great on camera.

This sounds corny

but it’s true

and I stand by it…

the best way to light yourself is from the inside.

Once you get the out-of-date stories out of your head that are holding you back

- that you aren’t good enough, that you have to look a certain way -

you too will shine on camera.

I’d love to help you realise this.

#video #lighting #confidence