So, I kept seeing these ring lights everywhere, you know? People making videos, taking selfies, and their lighting always looked kinda… smooth. I figured, why not give it a whirl myself. Didn’t want to break the bank, so I just grabbed one of those basic ones online. Just to test the waters, see if it was all hype.
Getting Started and First Fumbles
When it arrived, unboxing was simple enough. Plugged it in, and bam! A bright circle of light. My first thought was, “Okay, now what?” I remembered reading somewhere, probably some forum, that you should position the ring light right in front of whatever you’re shooting. And if you’re using a real camera, not just your phone, you stick the camera lens right through the middle of the ring. Seemed easy enough.
Then came the camera settings. I’m no pro, mind you. I saw a tip online, something like, “try f/5.6 at 1/160s as a good starting point.” So, I dialed that into my old DSLR. My first subject? Me, of course! Took a shot.
Honestly? It was… intense. I looked like I’d seen a ghost, or maybe the light was sucking my soul out. Super bright, and kind of flat. Not quite the magic I was expecting. The light was just too harsh, even though I was using those recommended settings.
The Trial and Error Phase
Alright, so the first go wasn’t amazing. I realized this wasn’t just a “point and shoot” kind of deal, even with a fancy light. The game really started when I began messing with things.
- I moved the light further away. That helped a bit with the harshness.
- Then I tried moving it closer, but dimming the light itself. My ring light had a few brightness settings, thankfully.
- I also played around with the camera settings more. That f/5.6 at 1/160s? Yeah, that’s definitely just a “starting point.” I had to tweak the ISO, the shutter speed, pretty much everything, depending on how far the light was and how bright it was.
I spent a good hour just taking pictures of my own face, then a random coffee mug. It felt a bit silly, but I started to see what the ring light actually did. The big thing is that catchlight in the eyes – that little circle of light. It definitely makes your eyes pop a bit. But if I wore my glasses? Oh boy. Glare city. Had to angle my head just right, or the light just bounced right off the lenses.
What I Figured Out
After a bunch of fiddling, I kind of got the hang of it. For close-up stuff, like a talking head video or a selfie, it’s pretty decent. It does give you that even light, fewer shadows under your chin and nose, which is nice. But it’s not a magic wand. If the room is super dark, the ring light alone can make the background look pitch black, which is a whole other vibe.
I also tried it for taking pictures of small things, like some old gadgets I was thinking of selling. For that, it was actually quite handy. It lit them up pretty evenly without me needing a complicated setup with multiple lights.
The key thing I learned is that the distance and the brightness of the ring light itself are super important, probably more than just the initial camera settings. And you gotta be prepared to experiment. A lot.
So, What’s the Verdict on Ring Lights?
Honestly, for what I paid, it’s not bad. It’s not going to make you a professional photographer overnight, that’s for sure. And that perfect, flawless look you see online? That’s probably a ring light PLUS a bunch of other stuff, like good makeup, a decent camera, and maybe some editing.
But for simple stuff? Like making your Zoom calls look a bit more professional, or getting a clear, well-lit shot for a profile picture without much fuss? Yeah, it does the job. I wouldn’t say it’s essential, but it’s a fun tool to have in the box. I’ll probably keep using it for quick videos and when I need to take a picture of something small and need even lighting. Just gotta remember to take off my glasses first!
