4 Popular Ways To Use Ring Lights For Impressive Lighting For Videos
Ring lights are increasing in popularity in many industries today. You can purchase them on Amazon, Costco, and pretty much any retailer selling electronics today.
Recently, I saw a ring light on sale at my local grocery store for under 20 dollars! Now, I am not quite sure if the quality of the ring light is any good, but the fact that you can pick one up with groceries shows how a lighting unit that was initially intended for medical procedures has become a widespread part of our daily lives.
But what actually is a ring light? You may have seen one at your recent dental exam, or even at the local Sephora for cosmetic demonstrations.
Since ring lights have multiple uses, are easy to use, and come in various sizes, if you don’t have a ring light already, then maybe you should start thinking about including this great lighting solution in your lighting setup.
In this article, we will explain why ring lights are an excellent choice for lighting anything from self-portraits to online calls and YouTube videos, and ways Ring Lights can help improve your lighting setup for content creation going forward.
Ways To Use Ring Lights For Impressive Lighting For Videos
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What Is A Ring Light?
A Ring Light is a circular light that when placed around a camera lens can create a consistent brightness with minimal shadow on a subject.
Regardless of the camera, you are using for your content creations, you can film through the light, which makes a ring light extremely easy to use. Plus, the great thing about a ring light is you really don’t have to learn a lot about setting up the device to achieve great lighting for your videos.
Another added bonus to using a ring light for lighting your videos is you don’t have to spend a lot of time modifying light positions, compared to a traditional 3-point lighting setup.
Why do many content creators use ring lights for video lighting setups? Because this type of lighting produces extremely flattering light and reduces the appearance of blemishes and wrinkles in people’s skin. Ring lights also deliver distinctive annular catchlights in your subjects’ eyes.
Ring lights were originally designed for medical use because the even light with little shadow made them ideal for close-up shots and detailed work. Which explains why ring lights transitioned to the professional photography and film world.
Since a ring light provides even lighting with virtually no shadows and offers incredible blemish-reducing qualities, it has become a favorite with both macro and beauty photographers.
While they are commonly used in the beauty photography world and are often called beauty or glamour lights, YouTubers and social media creators have caught on to the versatility and ease of use and have become essential smartphone camera accessories.
Related Article: Essential Filmmakers Guide – Building A Film Gear Kit For Less Than $1000
4 Video Scenarios Where You Can Use Ring Lights
Since ring lights are so versatile, simple to use, deliver great results, plus they’re inexpensive, understanding how to use a ring light is key to great video lighting. And whether you’re considering becoming a content creator or need to get a hold of YouTube lighting basics, a ring light will likely be a good investment for you.
Ring Light For A Webcam
Since many of us have been forced to use Zoom or video conferencing for meetings during the pandemic, a ring light can quickly improve your webcam lighting without a complicated setup or spending too much money.
The reason to use a ring light for your laptop webcam is it makes it easier for the people on the video calls you’re engaging with to see you better, it also helps with your look if you are tired or your skin is suffering from a shortage of fresh air in the room you are in, and it will improve your complexion on video as well.
YouTube videos
If you are looking for ways to improve your YouTube lighting without adding a bulky lighting kit, a ring light can help you. Just by adding one ring light to a phone or vlogging camera, it can produce an even light across your scene and assist you in reducing those ugly shadows.
Plus, the ring light’s halo-like look will give a more professional advantage to your videos. This is essential for increasing your YouTube views, specifically when you are starting out on YouTube and looking to build strong followership on a tight budget.
Social Media Video Content
Since ring lights can be used for macro and beauty photography, ring lights can be used for macro and beauty filmmaking as well.
If you are thinking about starting a TikTok or YouTube shorts account focused on creating makeup tutorials for monetization, ring lights offer the simplicity of an easy setup without having learned how to use a ring light with an iPhone.
All you have to do is position your smartphone inside the ring light, point it toward you or your subject, and press record.
Product Videos
Ring lights are perfect for lighting great product videos. They can emphasize the detail of a product or subject you are filming without having to manage shadows around your product or subject. Plus, if you’re changing positions to exhibit the product from varying angles, you don’t have to adjust your lights.
Why Is Ring Lights So Popular?
If you’re puzzled as to why ring lights became so popular lately, aside from the fact of being highly versatile and very simple to use, it’s because of the recent pandemic.
Many of us had to adjust to working from home, streaming from home, teaching from home, and socializing over Zoom calls, that ring lights became the simple, effective and cheap solution for better lighting.
Knowing how to place a ring light for video is easy, and they’re affordable. Plus, there are ring lights for smartphones and tablets and ring lights for cameras so no matter how video is being filmed, no one has to be poorly lit!
3 Suggestions For Using Ring Lights
You don’t need to use a ring light as a ring light, and if you need to, you can alter one, as well. Ring lights are a perfect lighting source for anyone learning how to use lighting for video, but they are even more universal than they initially appear.
- Here’s a simple tip for those who want to use a ring light as a ring light, but you can’t place it around your camera. Let’s say that you’re using the built-in web camera in your computer for streaming. Just position the ring light on a light stand, tripod stand, or mount clip directly above the camera.
- Most LED ring lights come with an adjustable dimmer, so you can adjust the brightness or intensity of your ring light so that you are properly lit. Why is this a good thing? Because you don’t want to have set up your ring light kit only to find out later after video shoot that you were underexposed or extremely washed out. When shopping for a ring light kit, look for one that has color control, so you can choose between tungsten and daylight color temperatures.
- Ring lights don’t have to be placed on a stand around the camera. A Ring light can be used as fill lights and hair lights, in a pinch if you are shooting with a full lighting kit and need to balance out the light more. You can buy diffusers for them to soften their light or can try bouncing it off a reflector or card as well.
Summary
It doesn’t matter if your goal is to be successful on YouTube or need a straightforward lighting setup for a macro video, every content creator should have a ring light. The shape doesn’t exactly vary, but they come in plenty of sizes and at different price points, so there’ll be one out there that meets your needs.
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About the author: Trent (IMDB | Youtube) has spent 10+ years working on an assortment of film and television projects. He writes about his experiences to help (and amuse) others. If he’s not working, he’s either traveling, reading or writing about travel/film, or planning travel/film projects.
