Ring lights became a household name during the pandemic, used for everything from Zoom meetings and FaceTime dates to making viral TikTok videos.
But do you actually need one?
To find out, I talked to two professional photographers.
One of them shared, “My passion as a photographer has always been about light, so I love geeking out about it. So many people come up to me and say, ‘Oh, I look so haggard,’ and I tell them, ‘Baby, it is not you; it is the light. You are okay.'”
To be a good photographer or video maker, you have to understand what light does and how to achieve the best quality.
That is where ring lights come in.
Why Are Ring Lights So Popular?
The reason ring lights are so popular with influencers is that most of the lighting we have in our daily lives is terrible.
The overhead lights and their directionality can make us look like we have raccoon eyes.
A ring light is a fantastic way to instantly improve your appearance.
It can brighten you up, make you look glossy, and give you that high-key, really bright look.
Many vloggers and influencers have established a very recognizable and specific look by using ring lights.
However, that does not mean it is the most natural or best way to light yourself.
People see it everywhere and want to mimic it.
One photographer explained, “To me, it gives you an alien, otherworldly vibe when you bring it really close. So if you are making a TikTok about being an exotic alien or wanting to show up in a powerful way, it is totally amazing for that purpose.”
The Signature Ring Light Look
That stereotypical ring light look happens when the light is directly in front of your face.
Your face is very brightly illuminated and super even, with a fall-off from light to dark that occurs on the cheeks and under the chin.
You also get a catchlight in the eye that is shaped like a circle right around the pupils.
“To me, it looks a little like an alien being.
It is not quite natural,” one expert admitted.
“For me, I am usually just trying to show up as myself and have the light be a little more natural in vibe, so it is not my go-to.”
How to Use a Ring Light for a Natural Effect
So, I asked, if I do not want to look like a “sexy alien” on video, how can I use a ring light without that effect?
According to the experts, there are two key things to do.
1. Use It as a Fill Light
Think of your ring light as the icing on the cake, not the whole cake.
You want to have a base layer of light first.
One photographer described his setup: “I use the ring light as one small part of my overall lighting setup. I have a big professional light providing even light to the background, and then I have the ring light off to the side, a little high up, bouncing a little off the wall. I can get some nice, pleasing light on my face while the background remains more or less evenly lit.”
When you are in your living room, you have natural ambient light.
You just add the ring light as an extra layer.
This is a great way to use it because you are not dealing with the weird, circular, fuzzy shadows it can create on its own.
2. Change the Angle
The second thing you can do is change the angle.
Moving it from a straight-on position instantly makes it more flattering.
Our brains generally expect light to come from the sun, which is usually at a 45-degree angle.
Mimicking that angle makes our brains happy.
You want the light high enough so that it is not shining in your glasses and creating reflections, but low enough that you still get that catchlight in your pupils, which is half the point of a light like this to begin with.
Lighting Tips for Everyone
I pointed out that professional photographers have all the best equipment, but what tips do they have for someone who just has a ring light or even just their existing home lighting?
The answer was simple: “The whole key to lighting is that you use what you have, and you learn how to make what you have work by learning some key principles.”
One expert shared an acronym called SAIL, which stands for the type of light you want: Soft, Angled, from In front and above, and Large.
One of the best lighting sources that we almost all have is a window.
Putting yourself very close to a window can create beautiful light.
You can make very expensive lights look bad and, conversely, make very cheap lights look good.
It is just a matter of understanding the way light works and what you really like for yourself.
How to Choose the Best Ring Light
When looking for a ring light, I learned there are several key qualities to consider.
The main things to look for are:
- Size: Generally, the larger the ring light, the more pleasing the quality of light you will get. Of course, you do not want a giant, massive light on your desk, and larger ones are more expensive. Finding a middle ground is ideal.
- Accessories: Look at the package of accessories. Good ones include light stands so you can mount the light easily and phone mounts that let you place your phone in the middle of the ring.
- Usability: Choose one that seems the most user-friendly and easy to set up.
- Color Accuracy: When a light has lower color accuracy, it can create weird color casts, especially on skin tones. Higher accuracy is better.
- Dimming: You need the simple ability to dim the light, making it brighter or darker depending on how much light you want on your face.
- Color Temperature: You also want to be able to adjust the color temperature. This means adjusting whether the light is a warm color (more orange) or a cooler color (more blue). This is very useful if you have other lights in your room, as you can match the tone of your ring light to the other bulbs.
The Verdict: Is a Ring Light Worth It?
Ultimately, whether you need a ring light depends on your goals.
If you want to create content in different places in your home and not be dependent on a large window, a ring light is a great, portable option.
It is relatively inexpensive, the setup is fairly easy, and it provides a quality of light that is not easy to get from a desk lamp or overhead lighting.
However, if you have good natural light near your computer where you take meetings, you may not need one.
But if you have meetings when it is dark out, then you need some artificial light, and a ring light could be a great option for you.
As one photographer put it, “Do not let super fancy industry people tell you that it is not cool. It is all about what your goals are, and you can make any light look beautiful if you know just how to maneuver it.”