![\"\"](\"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/images\/models\/morgan\/NV1_0499.jpg\")
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I have a confession to make about ring-flash, especially when it is used as a single light-source. I’ve never been a fan. I’ve never liked the stark over-lit look that it produces. Even in images that are supposed to be edgy and trendy.<\/p>\n
I’ve seen some incredible examples where the ringflash is part of a multi-light setup<\/strong>, with the ring-flash doing a just little bit of the work.\u00a0But I haven’t yet seen an image where the ring-flash was the only light source (or dominant light source), where the photo has set my world ablaze.<\/p>\n I’ve taken flack on some of the photography forums for that view – it’s as if I am attacking someone’s religion by offering a non-conforming viewpoint. But I really don’t like ringflash. But, you know, as the saying goes – don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it. So when I met up with Morgan Joyce<\/a>,\u00a0I thought her heavily tattooed appearance would make her a good subject for this style of lighting – something modern and … well, edgy and trendy.\u00a0(Check her\u00a0Model Mayhem<\/a>\u00a0page.)<\/p>\n For these images, I used the\u00a0Profoto Acute 2 Ring-Flash<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>), <\/p>\n A few observations about using ring-flash in the studio:<\/p>\n So there it is. I still don’t like the look.\u00a0The subtleties in light that generally appeal to me, are gone since the ringflash is purposely such a stark flat light.\u00a0My tendency is still towards softer light, as shown in a previous article where I used\u00a0Westcott Spiderlites<\/a> to photograph Morgan.<\/p>\n But before I am forced to hand in my Cool Photographer card, I am still open to persuasion. If anyone has examples that I should see where the use of ring-flash enhanced the subject in a way that no other lighting setup could’ve … let me know. I’d love to see.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Studio lighting: Ringflash as a single light-source I have a confession to make about ring-flash, especially when it is used as a single light-source. I’ve never been a fan. I’ve never liked the stark over-lit look that it produces. Even in images that are supposed to be edgy and trendy. I’ve seen some incredible examples Read more inside…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30111,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,479,136],"tags":[270,483,482],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13717","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-lighting","8":"category-morgan","9":"category-studio-photography","10":"tag-ring-flash","11":"tag-ringflash","12":"tag-studio-lighting-ring-flash","13":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13717"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13717"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13717\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42486,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13717\/revisions\/42486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13717"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=13717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nattached to the the\u00a0Profoto Acute B2 600 Ws powerpack<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/images\/models\/morgan\/NV1_0504.jpg\")
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\nThe one limitation in how I used this ring-flash is perhaps in that I didn’t use it with a modifier like the Profoto Wide Soft Reflector for Ring Light<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>). This would’ve turned the ring-flash in a kind of beauty dish that fits around the lens. And it would appear that the nuisance value to your subject might be reduced with this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nPhoto gear\u00a0(or equivalents)\u00a0used during this photo session<\/h2>\n
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\nor alternately, the\u00a0Profoto B1 500 Ws portable\u00a0flash<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"