How to film TikToks in window light
Before buying a ring light, try the window. Daylight through glass is soft, even and free, and most phone cameras are tuned for it. The trick is knowing where to put yourself relative to it.
Face the window, not the room
Stand or sit so the window is in front of you, slightly to one side, with the phone between you and the glass. Light then falls across your face and the camera sees you clearly.
With your back to the window the phone exposes for the bright glass and your face turns into a silhouette. If you can see the window in the frame, move.
Pick the right time of day
A window that never gets direct sun gives the same soft light all day. A window that does is best early or late; at midday direct sun makes hard shadows and squinting.
Hang a white curtain or stick baking paper over the glass when the sun hits it. It turns harsh sunlight into a giant soft box.
Fix the shadow side
Light from one side leaves the other side of the face darker. That can look good, but if it is too strong, put something white opposite the window: a sheet of paper, a pillowcase or a white wall a metre away.
Turn off ceiling lights. Warm room bulbs mixed with blue daylight make skin look orange on one side and grey on the other, and no filter fully fixes it.
Lock it before you record
Tap your face on the screen and hold until the exposure locks, so the brightness does not pump when you move. Clouds change the light quickly, so film a whole batch in one go rather than one clip an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Should I film facing the window or with my back to it?
Face it, slightly to one side, with the phone between you and the glass. With your back to the window, your face turns into a silhouette.
What time of day is best for window light?
A window that never gets direct sun works all day. One that does is best early or late; at midday direct sun gives hard shadows and squinting.
Why should I turn off ceiling lights when using window light?
Warm room bulbs mixed with blue daylight make skin look orange on one side and grey on the other, and no filter fully fixes it.