6 | STUDIO
Put a ring on it
You can shoot portraits with one simple LED light, says
Alistair Campbell
Portraiture is a photographic genre that is easy to try but difficult to master. Ranging from natural light right through to more complicated four-light setups, the choices can sometimes feel overwhelming. When I took up photography, like the majority of people I shot with natural light – the sun. Having a single light source, like a ring light, can simplify a portrait shoot; place it in front of your model’s face – about 45˚ off to one side is always a good default place to start. Continuous LED lighting offers another advantage: it allows you to see in real time how the light falls onto your subject. This is far easier than using a flash or strobe and having to shoot a few test images before finding the ideal shot settings.