Having seen
quite a few images that I have liked by other photographer that have clearly been created with the use of an LED
Ring Light, I thought it was time for me to also invest in one of these fairly
inexpensive bits of kit.
For a test
run I thought I would revisit an earlier area of creative macro potential which
is a paperweight we have at home and here are the results which I am very
pleased with.
These
images show the light mounted onto my camera and also the paperweight at a
distance where it is recognisable. I tried this light with my 50 mm Macro lens
and found it to be perfect companion for this lens, but for extra creativity I fitted here to a
Lensbaby Composer with a macro extension tube, so I could get an image from inside
the paperweight itself. Fortunately for me both my Macro lens and Lensbaby have a 52
mm thread for easy mounting of the ring light which comes with a variety of stepping
rings up 67 mm.
The
Lensbaby with this set up is slightly limited in it’s use because this is
normally very free flow, but I soon learn how to get around this
and got a good deal of the control that I would usually have. The aperture ring in
the Lensbaby was only F4 and working this close the Depth of Field would be
very limited if it was not for the tilt and shift ability of this wonderful little lens.
The colour temperature
of the ring light LEDS is fairly close to day light (5500 Kelvin) however when mixing light sources some difference in colour can be attained as with the differences between the two examples (above) with the one on the left having a more green cast to it, which I personally think works well here creating a more ethereal
look to it.
My LED ring light cost me just £33 including postage and is a well construct bit of photographic kit I would ceratinly recommend getting one and happy to share the eBay link to where mine came from with you as the service was also first rate : ukpartsdeal - Macro Ring Flash LED Light
With so much more I can do with this light I looking forward to using it more in the future is now in my camera bag ready to go ! (See the next Blog for it's use with portraiture).