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Anyone use a ring flash for shooting models?
If so, I'd love to check out your port. Is there one you recommend? I'm looking to change my style a little. Jan 25 06 05:30 pm Link the chopstick shot in my port was shot with a sunpak dx-12r. get this one over the 8r, even if you don't need the larger diameter. it has a modeling light which lets you preview the background shadow. Jan 25 06 05:39 pm Link FWIW... Ringlights are kinda old hat these days. That is, the ring as the primary light. They are and always have great uses, if not so evident. They are great as fill for other main light. The SunPak DX12R is good, but very weak. ISO 100 it has a guide number around 40. That means F4 at 10 feet or so. If you like higher ISOs then its great. The profoto ring with soft light reflector is great. Costs alot though. With a 2400 WS pack and a 500th of a second exposure, you can turn mid day into night. The downside of ringlights, are you need to make sure you use depth carefully, and reflective surfaces. If you dont, the photos will look flat and boring. Also, models need to have more flawless faces and skin as every flaw will be amplified. Good luck Chip ps. I think Tony Ward uses a DX12 in his erotic work. Jan 25 06 06:37 pm Link I used a Hensel RF as fill on three shot's on my port (Aurielle and Everett shot's), and the shot of Jenne' (on white BG) the same RF was the only light except that BG was lit with a seperate head. The Hensel runs about $900, and run's off their porty genterator. Jan 26 06 09:38 am Link Im learning a ton about photography from this site. My first photographer had a flash that brought out the gold in my eyes. It looked like a ring. ahha Is that a ring flash? Jan 26 06 09:41 am Link Yes, for a lot of different purposes. Rarely for the obvious "ring flash look" with the halo shadow and the circular catch-light and all that. However, as a shadowless (on the subject) concentrated frontal flash look, balanced, it can be really beautiful. Furthermore, it's one of the best fill sources in existance. Off-hand I'm not sure there are any ringflash images in my current MM portfolio that I have up... EDIT: I just had a quick look at what I put up and yes, there is one. Ringflash as main. See if you can spot it. Jan 26 06 09:44 am Link I use the Profoto w/soft-light reflector. Don't think I have any images in my MM portfolio with it. It really is a one look type of lightning, if that's what your going for. What's nice is to use it as front fill and backlight the subject..... Jan 26 06 09:57 am Link I disagree. I've used ringflashes to create so many different types of looks, from ultra-glossy, to "ringflash" to almost completely natural and so many looks in between. It's actually extremely versitile in that it's got an awful lot of uses. It DOES necessitate certain measures in your working method however. Either those are more or less convenient for the type of shooting and your intended results than other means. Jan 26 06 10:00 am Link Any recomendations on price range for a descent ring flash? I'm intriqued by this Halo catch light idea! Jan 26 06 10:05 am Link Marko Cecic-Karuzic wrote: "just a simple test with really pretty girl..." Jan 26 06 10:09 am Link Kind of a Fellini moment, isn't it? Jan 26 06 10:18 am Link I worked with this phgotographer before and he uses it sometime https://www.modelmayhem.com/member.php?id=55715 Jan 26 06 10:22 am Link Christopher Bush wrote: Ding ding ding ding ding! Ed, tell the contestant what he's won... Jan 26 06 10:30 am Link The pictures of Jean Bardot and the color one of Monika use a ringflash. The only time I use one is when I rent it and generally I want that ringflash look. The last few times I've used diffuser on it which tones down the the halo. Chip is right that the ringflash is a little passe but who cares, when used right with the right look it has a cool look. mike Jan 26 06 10:31 pm Link Thanks for the feedback. great photo examples too. I think I'll rent one to check it out before I invest. Jan 26 06 10:39 pm Link I used a super cheap vivitar ring flash for this shot. Gotta watch those red eyes though.  and this shot  and this shot  and this shot  I hope that helps Jan 26 06 11:54 pm Link Terry Breedlove wrote: I was looking at the Vivitar, sale price of $79.00 here: http://porters.com/Merchant2/merchant.m … y_Code=F3H Jan 27 06 05:35 am Link The inexpensive ones have very limited range and are intended mostly for macro shots. Although they will work, you need to have a fast lens or a high ASA and good noise reduction. Also be prepared to fix a certain amount of red-eye if your model has blue or light green eyes. Jan 27 06 06:11 am Link profoto ringflash used for avatar image and maybe one or 2 more images in my port Sep 21 06 04:52 pm Link i use ring flash in a variety of ways for different looks. another weapon in the arsenal. there is one shot in my current MM port. not tellin. you gotta guess. Sep 21 06 05:06 pm Link oldguysrule wrote: 42 Sep 21 06 05:12 pm Link Yes. Sometimes. Sep 21 06 05:16 pm Link oldguysrule wrote: Sep 21 06 05:21 pm Link Benny-H wrote: nope. the only light in that image is the sun. *wink Sep 21 06 05:32 pm Link i use RF a LOT. I will say that if you are not in a well lit room to begin with, the poor model will be blind from the first burst! lol I vary depth to the backdrop so sometimes the shadow is really wide. take a look in my port here, the old guy and girl in red chair, ringflash  the one with the odd vignetting was done by looseing the ring and shooting a little gimbled to the side as opposed to straight through. FYI it can be brutal, so use sparingly http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/9789573 http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/19814956/ http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/10151969 http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/9842153 Sep 21 06 05:39 pm Link Christopher Bush wrote: Yes it's a great little ring flash. Definately does the job if you know how to use it. i've used it as a main and as fill since I got it and I'm very happy with the results. Sep 21 06 11:27 pm Link I have had a Profoto 1200 Acute ringflash with a softlite reflector for about a year and a half. When I first got it, I used to go for the "ringflash" look. Then I started experimenting and found that it can be ued in many different ways. I bought a grip so that I can mount it on a lightstand to bounce into an umbrella or use as a main light source, undiluted. Now I tend to use it in a way that doesn't have so much of the "ringflash" signature. Things I have learned- it gets heavy if you are hand holding the camera mounted with the ringflash. There is no modeling light in this unit which is somewhat inconvenient. You need the model or an assistant to take a meter reading if you are hand holding the flash. The light seems to fall off fairly rapidly and if you change your distance from the subject by as little as 6 inches, it can make a difference. It works best 3 feet to 6 feet from the subject. Yes you can turn mid day sky dark if you jack up all the power and shoot at f/22-f/32. It does make a great fill light, can be used easily with other lights. It is great in a cramped space. The shots in my port of the model standing next to and inside of the BMW were shot with ringflash/softlite as the only light source, other than ambient at about 2 to 3 stops below the ringflash. You really have to watch out for red eye in a completely dark space. Use pre-flash to fix the retina before ringflash! I don't use it for every shoot- but when I want that certain look- or to experiment with it as an off-camera light- it is fun and gives great results. Is it worth the $$$- I would say yes. Sep 24 06 02:19 am Link I'm still undecided on whether I love or hate the "model-right-next-to-the-wall, trademark-ringflash-shadow" look. Sep 26 06 09:51 pm Link I use a profoto ring, that has been pinned for dyna-lite, fairly often. It's no magic bullet, but it works for a lot of what I do. Incidentally, I've never had an issue with red-eye. Sep 27 06 12:44 pm Link I've got a few shots in my port that were done with a Hensel ring. I'll be stopping by Alien Bees to pick up my AB ringlight in about 30 minutes. Pity I don't have my camera with me. Sep 27 06 12:47 pm Link LarryB wrote: Larry Sep 27 06 01:28 pm Link I am really surprised that there were not many examples of photos done with the Ring Flash - I just ordered the New Alien Bee one - Waiting for it to get here. Jul 11 07 03:20 pm Link Wow, has it been a whole 24 hours since the last ringflash thread was started? I like off-setting the ring with the bowl reflector on it sometimes Alien Bees is pitifully underpowered for full length shots. The Profoto unit is the one I use and power = better in all cases with ringflash if you want it to look like a ringflash at all. Metallic walls behind the subject can be pretty cool too.    Jul 11 07 03:35 pm Link Shot with an Alien Bee ringflash...   Jul 11 07 03:41 pm Link Visual Cocktail wrote: Yes. Jul 11 07 03:49 pm Link Yeppers... I have a few in my port done with the AB's Ringflash Heres a few:     Jul 11 07 03:49 pm Link |
