Lighting is extremely important if you are producing video content on a consistent basis. With high quality and bright LED lighting, you are able to almost instantly improve the quality of your content.
Ring lights have long been used for photography for beauty and makeup artists. However, due to the rise in social media, it is becoming an extremely commonly used item for content creators, influencers, or just people who want to look good for their at-home video calls.
It doesn’t matter what kind of content you create whether it’s a makeup tutorial, an unboxing video, or business video calls. A ring light is the most practical way to illuminate your set. Although cameras have greatly improved over the past decade, the best ring light can significantly enhance the quality of your photos.
The best options not only have a good effect on your content but also reduce the appearance of unwanted shadows. This can be achieved with the correct setup which is unique for each purpose.
This article will cover all the basics and advantages of using a ring light, followed by things to look out for when purchasing one.
Advantages of Using a Ring Light
Eliminate the Harsh Shadows
The light from the ring light is perfect for headshots as your face can be dead center of the light. This completely eliminates any hard shadows and almost instantly increases the quality of the portrait.
Fun fact – Ring lights were originally designed for dental and medical purposes. However, due to their popularity, they are now used across a wide range of industries such as beauty and photography.
Due to the nature of their design, they are perfect for emphasizing details and getting that clear and crisp content.
The “Catchlight” and “Halo” Effect
‘Catchlight’ is described as a small glimmer of light that shines through the eyes of a subject. This effect is likely to come from any front light source in portrait photography. It appears in the image as the shape of the light source. A softbox will produce a square or rectangular light while an umbrella will look like a star.
Meanwhile, a ring light will show as circular light in the subject’s eyes, commonly called a “halo” light. Since our eyes are circular, this gives a very natural shape. Some portraits and fashion photographers will purposely use a ring light just to achieve that beautiful glow.
Better Photo Quality
As you may already know, the quality of light can greatly affect the final image from a hard point to soft wash. Since ring light shines in virtually all directions, the quality of light is softer and not too sharp.
Photographers commonly take advantage of this lighting source for photo-shoots, beauty blogs, and flat-lays, just to name a few.
Selfie lights are a new device that you should also know about as they are extremely popular among social media influencers and content creators. It is basically just a mini-ring light that clips onto your phone for extra ‘selfie’ lighting. It could be a good product if you have a limited budget and you are just starting off in this space.
Try visiting Luvo Store for further information as it is our go-to destination for ring lights.
How do I use a ring light?
Ring lights are one of the easiest lighting sources available for both amateur and professionals. They generally come with everything you need to get started immediately and there is no need to purchase multiple accessories to get the result you are looking for. Simply unfold the stand, screw on the ring light, plug it in, and you are good to go!
LED Ring Lights VS Incandescent Lighting
If you are just getting into lighting then choosing the perfect ring light for your unique situation can be quite difficult, so let’s start with the basics. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode which is one of the most energy-efficient light sources in comparison with traditional incandescent lighting. This means that your ring light will last much longer in comparison with traditional incandescent lighting.
In fact, LED lights have an average lifespan of 50,000 hours. That’s a long time! To give you a better idea of how energy efficient these lights are, if you use the ring light for 10 hours a day it would take 14 years for the ring light to blow.
What are the key specifications to look for?
- Lumens – Lumens are a form of measuring light output (brightness). Therefore, the higher lumen value, the brighter the light will be.
- Kelvins – Kelvins are a form of measuring the color temperature of a light source. This can range from cool white light to a warm yellow glow.
Some ring lights have adjustable temperature controls, so you can simply turn the dial and change the light from cool to warm. This feature is especially useful for makeup artists and beauticians, as it is the perfect tool to really highlight their work.
The higher the Kelvin number is the cooler the light will be, and the lower the Kelvin number is the warmer the light will be. A ring light will a Kelvin range of 3200K (warm) to 5700K (cool) would be ideal for almost every situation.
- Watts – Watts is a form of measuring power consumption. With traditional incandescent lighting, the higher the watts the higher the brightness. However, this is not the case with LED light sources as that rule does not apply. For example, a 10W LED bulb can be brighter than a 14W LED bulb from another manufacturer. This may be possible because one brand may be more energy-efficient than the other. This would mean that the 10W bulb uses less power but still has a brighter output of lumens. That is why it is suggested to only mainly review the Lumens and Kelvins when choosing an LED light.
So if you have an online presence, you should definitely consider purchasing a ring to help you create more professional-looking photos or videos. While professional ring lights may be considered too pricey for most, it is definitely a worthwhile investment for those who are looking to increase their digital presence.
