8 Tips On How To Use A Selfie Ring Light For Phone

Do you usually take tens of selfies, delete most of them, edit a few, and post only one or two? You are not alone—most selfie lovers go through a lot to capture the perfect shot. And one of the major causes of this strain is poor lighting.

Selfie ring lights can help you avoid this satisfaction and capture beautifully lit, high-quality photos without all this hassle. Before we get into the details, let’s look at selfie ring lights and how they work.

What Is A Ring Light

As the name suggests, a ring light is a circular lighting device that illuminates the subject of a photography project. Initially, they were primarily popular with portrait photographers. Currently, however, they are used for several types of photography, including selfies. They complement studio lights by ensuring that the focal point is evenly lit. Ring lights generally produce a softer and more pleasing light than most studio lights.

With smartphones gradually taking over the digital photography scene, LED ring lights are essential more than ever before. Depending on the brand, ring lights can attach directly to your phone or come with goosenecks and tripod stands for external support.

Most ring lights use LED lights, hence the soft effect. If you want a relatively brighter light, buy fluorescent ring lights. For the best results, ensure that the selfie ring light you get is dimmable, either via a smartphone app or onboard switch. Dimmable lights allow you to adjust the color temperature and are more versatile, making them the alternative for professional videographers and photographers.

Different Ways To Use A Selfie Ring Light

Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, you can use ring lights in either of the following ways:

1. For close-up photography: Ring lights are the best lights for illuminating the subject’s face when taking close-up shots. They have a perfect balance of brightness and softness, making your headshots appear calm and appealing. This feature makes them suitable for projects like makeup tutorials that primarily focus on the subject’s face.
2. For macro-photography: Macro-photography is pretty similar to close-up photography, only that it deals with very small subjects. Too much light may make the subjects blur, and inadequate light may make them invisible. Ring lights balance the illumination evenly, making it possible to capture fine details. That is crucial for macro-photographers who require consistent lighting in their projects.
3. For video production: It’s also common for cinematographers and cinematographers to use ring lights. For instance, you can fix them in front of the camera to get clear shots of subjects whose heads rotate a lot. Depending on your setup’s nature, you can complement the ring lights with sidelights, fill lights, and softboxes or use them alone.
4. Selfie ring light for phone: If you’re a selfie lover, consider using a selfie ring light for phone to bring out the best of your facial features. It may look like a simple setup but can significantly enhance your lighting’s consistency.

Tips On Getting The Best From Your Selfie Ring Light For iPhone

Now that you know what selfie ring lights are and how they work, here are some tips on getting the best from them:

1.    Adjust Colour Balance And Lighting Power

Lighting is arguably the most crucial aspect of any photography or videography project. It determines whether the camera will capture your subject and the clarity of the final frame.

If the light is inadequate, the image won’t be visible. If the light is too much, it may appear blurry. That’s why it’s crucial to play around with the ring light’s color balance and lighting power. You don’t want the subject to appear too bright or too dark.

So, how do you set your ring light to give you that fantastic cool effect?

• Set the color temperature: As you might have guessed, the color temperature is essentially how warm or cold your lighting appears. High temperatures are ideal for outdoor shoots that require harsher, bluer whites. If you intend to achieve a candlelight feel, use a lower temperature. Most ring lights come with color filters. If yours doesn’t have, use the filters clipping on the ring’s side.
• Adjust the light’s brightness: Most ring lights have easy-to-use brightness controls. The general assumption is that the brighter your ring lights, the better your photos or videos appear. However, be wary of excess light that may make your photos appear as though they’re burnt.

2.   Angle And Distance Of The Light

Before you start shooting, move the ring light across various positions to find the best angle. The positioning of the ring light has a significant impact on the video quality.

The general advice is that you should avoid reflective surfaces like glasses and frames in your shot. However, if they’re part of your set-up, place the ring light at an angle on which it doesn’t reflect directly on the lenses.

Angling also involves eliminating shadows. Unless they’re part of the message you’re communicating, shadows are the number one enemy of quality shots.

3.   Use A Complementary Background

Another crucial aspect of getting the best from your selfie ring lights is selecting the appropriate background. It shouldn’t be too shiny or too dark. Shiny backgrounds reflect light and may distort the photo. Excessively dark backgrounds may absorb most of the light and reduce the photo’s clarity.

If you’re using a backdoor, ensure that it contrasts with the subject. The perfect background lets your subjects stand out and pop out under minimal illumination.

4.  Keep It Simple

We understand that you’re anxious to experiment with your new ring lights and explore all their functionalities, and there’s nothing wrong with doing so. However, while you are at it, avoid being too sophisticated.

High-quality photography and videography lie in the simplicity of your set-up, including the lighting. As you must have noticed, ring lights are pretty simple to use. Avoid over-complicating them.

Has this article helped you understand how to use your ring light for the best phone photography and videography? Let us know below. Above all, there are no fixed rules. Be free to experiment with your selfie ring light to the fullest.

The Kodak Ring Lights