After that professional look for your channel? Hello, ring lights! The magic is in the diffused lighting that’s uber flattering, offering professional-looking lighting at a good cost. But there are a few things you need to know when it comes to shooting with them, so let’s dive right into how to use your ring light.
WHAT IS A RING LIGHT, ANYWAY?
A ring light is a circular light that fits around your camera lens, providing even illumination for whatever you’re shooting.
IT’S AN IDEAL LIGHT SOURCE FOR PHOTO AND VIDEO
Why? Because the origin of the light is so close to the camera lens, there are very few shadows. (That’s a good thing.) They’re also great at picking up details in photos, whether you’re shooting fashion, food, or makeup tutorials. Plus, they can capture color with great vibrance.
Depending on what color temperature you want, you can adjust it to mimic natural daylight so the light will look natural and true to color. (We’ll dive more into color temperature in a bit.)
The higher the lumens, the stronger the light, and the more accurate the color accuracy will be. This is important if you’re going to be doing a lot of things that involve color.
CONSIDER THE LIGHT INTENSITY
The higher the lumens, the stronger the light, and the more accurate the color accuracy will be. This is important if you’re going to be doing a lot of things that involve color.
Some ring lights come with a dimmer, which offers even more control.
CONSIDER THE “TEMPERATURE” OF THE LIGHT
Do you want warm light? Or do you prefer to keep it cool? Some ring lights have color temperature dimmers or snap filters that you can put on top of the ring light to make your photos and videos appear warmer or cooler.
WHAT ABOUT CAMERA ATTACHMENTS?
What type of attachment will you need for the camera you’ll use on your ring light? The Logitech StreamCam makes it super easy to attach on and off your ring light whenever you need to film.
If you want your videos to be very bright, clear, and crisp, keep the light about two feet in front of you.
CONSIDER THE DISTANCE OF THE LIGHT
If you want your videos to be very bright, clear, and crisp, keep the light about two feet in front of you. The distance you want depends on the look you’re going for. Play around with it a little bit until you get the desired look.
Most ring lights come with stands, so it makes it very easy to get it exactly where you want it—just by adjusting it to the right height.
ADDING ANOTHER RING LIGHT
In some cases, you might even want to add another ring light into the mix. Crazy, right? Not really! Putting one beside you brings more light in from the side. Putting one behind you will separate you from the background and add some depth.
SO… READY TO SHOOT?
At the end of the day, ring lights are a great, easy option for studio lighting, and they’re super user friendly. Hopefully this tutorial has helped you grasp the basics of using a ring light, and set you on your way to being the next big influencer.
Read more: