So, I made myself a ghetto ringlight...

[dpolston]

I have a Sigma ring light that I play with all of the time and I have found an Alien Bee studio ring light that I am considering. So, being that I am a little handy around the house, I built me a ghetto ring light out of a clip light and a round light bulb.

These are the test shot portraits of my daughters friend tonight. I think that I have convinced myself go ahead and buy the Bee!!!

What do you think?

 

[dpolston]

<hummm>

 

[DeadEye]

I like DIY stuff lets see a pic of the homemade ringlight.

 

[dpolston]

Okay... this is a clamp light, round flourecent (sp) light (this one has a built in ballast that screws into a light socket), a 4" pvc plumbing coupler and some rewiring. I set the pvc coupler on the clamp light and cut the hole larger with a dremmel tool then screwed it in shaped it and sanded it. I then rewired the bulb (I had to cut the ballast housing to get it to fit, lengthen the wires and then I cable tied the light in place after I drilled holes into the metal housing.

I used 2 small "L" brackets to attach the original handle on the light and then I painted the back a flat black. I did use grommets and a wire harness cover to protect the wire. Then I screwed in the ballast to the original clamp light socket, plugged it in and prayed that it wouldn't shock me when I picked it up!

30 bucks. Alien Bee - $400.00 (but I am going to order it this weekend. I need it to fire the other strobes)!

 

[DeadEye]

Thats nice crafty work. I would not give up on it just yet though. The light was a bit hard but also smooth. Try a sheet of mylar over the light to soften it up. or maybe a green gel.

 

[DeadEye]

I very much liked the catch light it put in her eyes.

 

[dpolston]

Oh... I'm not done yet. I am going to make a "screen" for it probably thin sheet of white something or another. I was also about 2 feet from her. I shot this at 18mm so I was up her nose.

I am going to play with the settings a lot! I only took around 10 shots. I did another 10 or so at work (this is a clients house I was working on. I did this during lunch).

"Pegboard" was from this light and I usually go through my shots and auto level and color but these are S.O.O.C.

 

[LaFoto]

The catchlights make the eyes look ... haunting. You couldn't do that with every portrait you mean to take from now on, now could you? What are ring flashes actually there for? I mean, other than producing these haunting eyes?

 

[dpolston]

You actually shoot through the center of the ring (notice the 4" hole - just point the lens through there). They eliminate shadows from the necklines and fill in more of the dark spots in close up portraiture whereas a single light might have these shadows (i.e. under the nose or the side of the nose, necklines, in some cases eyes). They are used mostly for macro work though but give a very specific look people.