Ring flash on the red carpet?

[MBasile]

I'm doing a red carpet themed shoot at an event entrance tomorrow. I was planning on doing a basic two light setup with a beauty dish and a shoot-through ubrella as fill. However, I have the option to grab an Alien Bees ring light. I was thinking of this because it is easily adaptable for varying heights of people walking through. Does anyone have any input on using a ring flash in this setting? It'd be my first time using one and I'll have very little time to practice, which is why I'm leanig against it.Input?

 

[MBasile]

No one has any input on using a ring flash in this type of scenario?

 

[Big Mike]

It would give you light that is pretty flat, as it's right on the lens axis. There is a subtle look that comes from a ring flash, but I've never been a huge fan of it. It also gives a halo type shadow, if there is a wall or something right behind the model, but I don't know how well that would translate for your situation. And of course, it can make for round catchlights, if you are close enough for them to show in the photo.

I'd be temped to use the beauty dish as your key light and the ring flash only for fill.

 

[gsgary]

I have used a ring flash often, the trouble you will have is once you have your exposure the distance from you and you subject must stay constant because your flash is not set at a set distance if you move so does your ring flash which alters your exposure

 

[MBasile]

I played with it a little before the event, but ultimately decided that the inconsistent nature compared to stationary lighting wouldn't be good, and I didn't have the background knowledge to avoid inconsistencies so I didn't use it.