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Using a Ringflash, Part 1
By sirsnapalot | July 1, 2009
I know this blog has been dormant for a while- my workload has been quite high for me to be able to write well-focused articles. So, perhaps, I should break them down into smaller pieces, that I can post more often. So, here is Part 1 on using a Ring Flash.
I bought a Ring Flash last winter at a camera show in the Dallas area. These camera shows are a great place to buy used equipment at significant discounts. I found a ring flash, something I have wanted for years. For the moment, I don’t have the adapters needed to physically latch it onto my camera, but it will stay on my macro fairly well, as it is a tight fit for that one lens.
A ringflash has several benefits compared to a normal flash. A normal flash, especially a pop-up flash, will create harsh shadows because it is a point source of light. The ringflash is literally a flash that completely encircles the lens. As a result, the flash is more diffuse and so is the shadow- it will have a softer edge. Also, if you are doing macro photography, a ringflash comes in handy for up close lighting, as frequently the camera is blocking ambient light, and side-lighting produces long, harsh shadows. By using a ringflash, you have nice, even illumination.
I will post more on using a ringflash, but here is my first shot using it on my EOS50D. I purposefully positioned my eye so that the reflection of the ringflash from my eye would perfectly encircle the pupil.
Of course the one drawback to a ringflash can actually be the fact that it reflects as a ring- in a serious portrait, you might see the ring reflection as a distraction. For portraiture, it might be better to use the flash off-camera, and use a diffuser, or even multiple flashes for effect. Posts on that will come in the future.
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Topics: Flash, Intermediate, Lighting | No Comments »
