Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Lighting & Studio Techniques | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2016 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?

  
 
MaunaKea7007
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


All,
I plan to shoot more headshots this year. I'd be interested in anything folks are willing to share about modifying ring flash. Pretty much decided on the Buff ABR400.

All on location, as I don't have a space. Contexts: weddings, model testing, edgy fun portraits, party -- all for a choice of that "look". I am experienced with studio and speedlight lighting on location, and I have a lot of different modifiers. In all these years I have never bought a ring flash. So, natch, I have to try it! (This attitude drives my wife NUTS.)

I also see this as an emergency fifth light in the Einstein kit. Yes, I know the Buff model is technically an Alien Bee unit, and that it is 320WS, not 640WS. Yes, I know it comes with a limited umbrella attachment only, but there's always a big white card, that kind of DIY tool. (I had a commercial advertising studio for some years so I am used to grabbing available materials to make a certain kind of light with gaffer tape and clamps, whatever.)

Circular catchlights are a little weird -- to me. Some clients might like them and when further from the subject it's not an issue. I expect that in some cases I will retouch them into something more appealing.

I like the idea of the ringlight as a fill where there is something a stop or more brighter acting as a key light. In addition, I think it will be forgiving with wrinkles. We'll see.

Anyway, thoughts?

Edited on Mar 04, 2016 at 09:38 PM · View previous versions



Mar 03, 2016 at 07:07 PM
rmccooey
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


I've just received a used ABR800 with the grid and a 56" moon unit. I ordered the front diffusion fabric that turns the moon unit into a large softbox. I picked it up to use as a softbox in tight spaces as the depth is considerable smaller then a conventional softbox. Also plan to use the umbrella attachment with a PLM soft silver umbrella.

There is also a 30" moon unit that turns it into a beauty dish of some sort.

Look to put it through its paces in the next few weeks. Is there anything in particular that you would want to see or tested?

This is also the 5th light in my setup. There is ABR800/moon unit posted in the for sale forum a few months back that was still for sale a week or so ago.

Robert...



Mar 03, 2016 at 11:02 PM
cwebster
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


Why buy a ring light to use as some other form of lighting?

If you just want a big round light, try a Softlighter. don't bother with a ring in a softbox.



Mar 04, 2016 at 12:50 AM
MaunaKea7007
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


I have umbrellas and a nice Kayce Beauty dish, so have some other interesting stuff to pick from. I have different rectangular softboxes. A ring makes a different effect than just a round thing to point at a person. I didn't think of putting the ring inside a light when I wrote that. I had in mind smaller additions of coverings. Like covering of partially shielding some of the output of the bottom 1/4 of the circumference.

I sometimes use all four Einstein lights and whenever that happens I worry that there is no backup. So any fifth strobe is helping there. Better that it be in the family (Buff).

rmccooey, thanks for alerting me to the possible used one. Was planning to look there. I didn't know the "moon" was related in any way to the ring flash. Will research that. Shallow soft lights come in handy doing interiors as deeper (standard) softboxes often have trouble "hiding" out of view of my widest lenses.



Mar 04, 2016 at 02:22 AM
tcphoto
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


A ring light has a very specific look and is not for everyone. I would suggest renting a Profoto Acute along with their Softlight Wide Reflector which I prefer for shooting people.


Mar 05, 2016 at 09:58 AM
John Ng
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


tcphoto wrote:
A ring light has a very specific look and is not for everyone. I would suggest renting a Profoto Acute along with their Softlight Wide Reflector which I prefer for shooting people.


Do you have examples using the Profoto Acute Ring Light with the Softlight Wide Reflector? I would like to see how that looks like. Thanks



Mar 05, 2016 at 11:54 AM
MaunaKea7007
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


tcphoto,
I live on a rural island smack in the middle of the Pacific. No rental house here <grin> we just have to count out the coin and fund our own experiment. "Look not for everyone" (other comments) is exactly *why* photographers do some of the stuff we do.



Mar 05, 2016 at 12:56 PM
tcphoto
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


I believe this is the only image that's on my computer. It's the Profoto Acute Rightlight with no modifier, the rental house did not have one on hand. As far as renting one in Hawaii, get online and look for an LA or SF rental house because they will ship it.

[url=]http://www.dropbox.com/s/4067cnnnc7nfi2p/Jamilla.jpg?dl=0[/url]



Mar 06, 2016 at 10:49 AM
rico
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


MaunaKea7007 wrote:
tcphoto,
I live on a rural island smack in the middle of the Pacific. No rental house here ...


Profoto lists two rental houses, which doesn't surprise me given all those tourists, hotels, and beach calendars.

Foton Inc.
808.206.5244
98-021 Kamehameha Hwy
96701 Aiea

Hawaii Camera
(808) 735-3838
3457 Waialae Avenue
96816 Honolulu

Ref: http://profoto.com/ca/profoto-rental/category/hi-united-states-rental



Mar 06, 2016 at 09:00 PM
MaunaKea7007
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Modifiers you have tried with ring flash?


Different island! Shipping cost very high here, even between islands. I do appreciate the suggestions. As I said, it's the boonies here. Hawaii Camera closed on all islands, not enough business either retail or rental. I know the owner.

I will probably advertise in Buy & Sell for a used Buff ABR800. I buy that and try it for some months. I pay shipping that one time at a relaxed $$ rate that a company like a rental house might not be willing to accept.

It fits with all my existing Buff stuff (Einsteins). I get the benefit of that "extra head for emergencies or extra-complicated setups".

At the end of some months if I like it and clients have fun with the images I keep it, No more cost. Then later when I am too old I sell it for, what, 60-75% of what I paid for it. My quick guess is that a rental of a profoto for which I have no modifiers and must rush to use for experimentation - will cost nearly $100 maybe BEFORE shipping back and forth so I am now out $150 -- or more!

I was a long-time commercial pro in Boston years back so I am used to the rental scene but this is something to have for a while. I don't work so many headshots/portraits that I can try out the rig with several key customer demographics within a week. Really, there aren't very many real models here, either. It's pretty much as I said: the Big Island is the boonies.

Nice boonies, though. Come visit.

Thanks, again.



Mar 06, 2016 at 09:40 PM





FM Forums | Lighting & Studio Techniques | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.