On-Axis Fill: Ring Flash?

[Darryl Roberts]

In Chris Knight's wonderful, The Dramatic Portrait, book he says, "the ring flash is a tremendous tool for controlling fill." More over he demonstrates it well.

What makes the ring flash better than an on camera or right next to the lens speed light?

Thank you in advance.

 

[cramej]

Not necessarily better, but different. It will fill from every direction around the lens instead of just one like the speed light.

 

[AgX]

As said above, not better, but different.
Lighting exactly on-axis with the taking lens will leave no shadows. Plus on-center specular lights at the eye-bulbs. Both yielding an image we typically do not experience in daily life.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

As said above, not better, but different.
Lighting exactly on-axis with the taking lens will leave no shadows. Plus on-center specular lights at the eye-bulbs. Both yielding an image we typically do not experience in daily life.

It'll be merely fill.

 

[AgX]

To understand fill-in light you must be able to consider it on its own. Otherwise your question is without base.

Or, to follow your argument: if it is "only" fill-in, why then bother in first instance?



Even if for the fill-in effect the position to the axis might not matter, you still would have those added frontal, specular reflections on the eye-bulbs.

 

[wiltw]

A ring light around the lens leaves two obvious clues as to its presence

1. it leaves a all-round-the-subject shadow close to the body/face
2. it leaves a donut shaped highlight in the eyes

Add a somewhat brighter light as a 'Main' and both of the telltale clues are STILL THERE! Remember, you cannot get rid of a shadow by filling in a shadow?! And the Main adds a highlight of its own to one side of the donut highlight seen in the eyes. I would not want that. 'Edgy' look, yes. Desirable, not for me!

 

[Darryl Roberts]

A ring light around the lens leaves two obvious clues as to its presence

1. it leaves a all-round-the-subject shadow close to the body/face
2. it leaves a donut shaped highlight in the eyes

Add a somewhat brighter light as a 'Main' and both of the telltale clues are STILL THERE! Remember, you cannot get rid of a shadow by filling in a shadow?! And the Main adds a highlight of its own to one side of the donut highlight seen in the eyes. I would not want that. 'Edgy' look, yes. Desirable, not for me!

Thank you. The one I'm considering, Paul C. Buff, does come with a diffuser and any extra catch light I could have Rasha Retoucher remove for a low fee.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Thank you. The one I'm considering, Paul C. Buff, does come with a diffuser and any extra catch light I could have Rasha The Retoucher remove for a low fee.

Also, my goal isn't to remove shadow, just lessen their intensity.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

 

[Nokton48]

I have always enjoyed ringlight.

https://www.pinterest.com/fslyphotography/ring-light-photography/

 

[Darryl Roberts]

I have always enjoyed ringlight.

https://www.pinterest.com/fslyphotography/ring-light-photography/

Thank you much. I wish I could find a real ring FLASH not light that I could use with the Norma. Any ideas?

 

[Nokton48]

Blad Ringlight Makiflex Norman 200b by Nokton48, on Flickr

Back in the eighties ringlight was HOT HOT HOT. Every fashion photographer was doing it. This is my brand new rig; a Hasselblad Ringlight, converted to power from a 200WS Norman 200b power packs.

New York City Flash Clinic put this together for me (prolly one of hundreds). Sadly they are history. They also adjusted the flashtube circuit, so that the flash would mot "sparkle with light" after firing. Was worth every penny spent at the time.

I just got three new sets of brand new lead acid batteries batteries, and replaced my twenty year old (dead) ones which I also bought new. I'm going to use this for Makiflex fashion 9x9cm photography. This camera syncs at 1/15 focal plane, but you could also use it with a Norma. Also all this stuff works with my Norman 200b portable systems.

 

[AgX]

I got the same one as Nokton. (Actually it was not made by Hasselblad but by the german flash manufacturer Paffrath&Kemper). I bought mine from a camera dealer for 4€ plus another 4€ for a Braun kit for which generator the flash got the respective connector.
I also got a TL-ringlight. But of course due to the vastly different diameters (and weight) both are hard to compare.

 

[Nokton48]

If I needed more power (which I don't) I would go with the Broncolor Ringlight. State of the art but much $$$

 

[Darryl Roberts]

If I needed more power (which I don't) I would go with the Broncolor Ringlight. State of the art but much $$$

Awesome, I've seen that one.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Blad Ringlight Makiflex Norman 200b by Nokton48, on Flickr

Back in the eighties ringlight was HOT HOT HOT. Every fashion photographer was doing it. This is my brand new rig; a Hasselblad Ringlight, converted to power from a 200WS Norman 200b power packs.

New York City Flash Clinic put this together for me (prolly one of hundreds). Sadly they are history. They also adjusted the flashtube circuit, so that the flash would mot "sparkle with light" after firing. Was worth every penny spent at the time.

I just got three new sets of brand new lead acid batteries batteries, and replaced my twenty year old (dead) ones which I also bought new. I'm going to use this for Makiflex fashion 9x9cm photography. This camera syncs at 1/15 focal plane, but you could also use it with a Norma. Also all this stuff works with my Norman 200b portable systems.

Wow, thank you much.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

I got the same one as Nokton. (Actually it was not made by Hasselblad but by the german flash manufacturer Paffrath&Kemper). I bought mine from a camera dealer for 4€ plus another 4€ for a Braun kit for which generator the flash got the respective connector.
I also got a TL-ringlight. But of course due to the vastly different diameters (and weight) both are hard to compare.

Thank you.

 

[AgX]

But the Hasselblad/PK one is the only on-camera ringlight I ever came across... Back then they were seemingly much less popular than today.

I do not think back then they ever were used for portraits.

 

[Nokton48]

Back then they were seemingly much less popular than today.I do not think back then they ever were used for portraits.

Maybe not for portraits but everywhere for expensive fashion shoots. Check out old 80s fashion magazines.

If you can get "red eye" THAT is even better for 80s retro fashion!

 

[Nokton48]

https://profoto.com/us/products/lights/studio-packs/heads/proring2-plus

Profofo also makes a very cool righ light.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Maybe not for portraits but everywhere for expensive fashion shoots. Check out old 80s fashion magazines.

If you can get "red eye" THAT is even better for 80s retro fashion!

Will do. Again, thank you.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Blad Ringlight Makiflex Norman 200b by Nokton48, on Flickr

Back in the eighties ringlight was HOT HOT HOT. Every fashion photographer was doing it. This is my brand new rig; a Hasselblad Ringlight, converted to power from a 200WS Norman 200b power packs.

New York City Flash Clinic put this together for me (prolly one of hundreds). Sadly they are history. They also adjusted the flashtube circuit, so that the flash would mot "sparkle with light" after firing. Was worth every penny spent at the time.

I just got three new sets of brand new lead acid batteries batteries, and replaced my twenty year old (dead) ones which I also bought new. I'm going to use this for Makiflex fashion 9x9cm photography. This camera syncs at 1/15 focal plane, but you could also use it with a Norma. Also all this stuff works with my Norman 200b portable systems.

That Hasselblad, is it powerful enough to get f/11 on 100 Iso from about 5 feet away? And would it be adjustable?

 

[AgX]

That ringlight got no own generator. It is just a flashtube in a reflector and the two cables. Mine was coupled to a GNm60 150Wsec generator. No idea how much power it can take.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

https://profoto.com/us/products/lights/studio-packs/heads/proring2-plus

Profofo also makes a very cool righ light.

Thank you but this one is more in my budget: https://www.paulcbuff.com/Flash-Units/alienbees-ringflash.html

 

[Pieter12]

If you have a Speedlight, Rayflash makes a relatively inexpensive adapter. I don't think they're in business anymore, you should be able to find one used. A little plastic-y, but it would allow you to experiment to see if the effect is what you want. For fill, you really don't need too much power, a stop less than your main light.