To reduce energy consumption, many jurisdictions around the world are transitioning to outdoor LED lighting. But as new research shows, this solid-state solution hasn't yielded the expected energy savings, and potentially worse, it's resulted in more light pollution than ever before.

For decades, photo and video equipment was designed and tested with only white subjects in mind. Lighting darker skin tones takes a different approach than lighting pale ones. Ava Berkofsky, director of photography on HBO's Insecure, tells Mic how her team beautifully lights the show's black actors, and Mic reporter Xavier Harding demonstrates some of the techniques below.

If you're looking for a cheap, and somewhat tasty, lighting solution for your selfies or smartphone portraits, look no further. Bah-da-ba-ba-bah, I'm lovin' this Big Mac box lighting trick.

Darkness is the enemy of photography, but -- being a horror fan -- I wanted to learn how to shoot photos in spooky places with very low light. I reached out to an expert and here's what I learned.

I recently purchased a few smart bulbs and have plans to expand my collection of smart lights. I did notice a small inconvenience during setup, however: It was hard to tell which bulb was which without staring into an app. So I added a visual aid to my bulbs using emoji stickers. It's a lot easier to see the "banana" light is out instead of trying to figure out which bulb is "Hue living room bulb 7" while your ceiling fan is off.

If you need a solid lighting solution for your home workspace or workshop, this custom build uses super-bright, dimmable LEDs that don't use very much power. Best of all, it runs on batteries so you don't need to hire an electrician!

Video: Most of us don't have a plain light on an open fixture or lamp in our homes, but if you do, or have a lamp you'd like to dress up, this video from The Lighting Channel has 10 different ways to dress up a light bulb and make it look a little better -- or at least make it blend in a bit with your home decor.

We've shared a number of budget-friendly, DIY solutions to light up your photos and videos. But maybe you still need something that's equally as easy on the wallet and sturdy to hold up your DIY lights. Well, here you go: a light stand that's made out of PVC and costs you less than $10.

Video: Now that LED strips exist, it's super easy to make your own lighting. Case in point, YouTuber Darbin Orvar shows off her light cube packed between a couple of slabs of concrete.

It isn't just the camera that separates a professional-looking video from an amateur one. You need excellent and proper lighting, too, and it all begins with a strong grasp of three-point lighting. This video explains what you need to know in a bit over two minutes.

I don't know about you, but I am loathe to throw away my empty liquor bottles. They're just so pretty, and tossing them in the recycling bin makes my heart sad. Luckily, Food52 has a brilliant use for your empties: turn them into oil lamps.

Video: Chandeliers are by no means cheap, but if you're a fan of a more rustic aesthetic, YouTuber Darbin Orvar put together one using a set of string lights and some wood.

Hi Lifehacker, I've been looking into kitting out my home with some smarter technology, but I'm wondering if the benefits are worth the steeper price. Are smart lights more energy efficient and long-term cost effective than standard LED lights?

Video: If you're looking for a great way to light your photo and video shoots, this DIY super bright LED panel can be moulded to shed light anywhere you need it. You can even swap between warm and cool lighting with the flick of a switch.

If you have to shoot in bright, harsh, overhead light, your best bet is to either just move to the shade (in which case you have more to think about, more on that in a moment), or turn your subject 180 degrees. These tips may seem obvious, but the utility is in the nuance.

Video: You don't need a bunch of expensive studio lighting to take great portraits and headshots. In this video, photographer and educator Joe Edelman shows the different ways you can take great photos using just a single flash.

Instructables user AudriusA1 shows us how to create this unique ceiling lamp that sort of looks like the Death Star from Star Wars.

Video: Professional lighting for photo studios can cost a pretty penny, but if you're just starting out, you don't have to drop that much cash (if you even have it to start with). In this video, photographer Joe Edelman shows you how to build an all LED setup on a budget that performs as well as pricier gear.

Jake Dyson, son of renowned inventor Sir James Dyson, and an entrepreneur and inventor in his own right, has turned his attention to making a better light -- and fixing the way that designers use light in office spaces. We take a look at his grand design.