Ring Lights: The Ultimate Cheap Photography Lighting

Ring lights seem to be everywhere these days! Photographers, videographers, makeup artists use them, and most of online influencers do. The main feature of a ring light is on-axis lighting which gives even exposure when placed facing the subject directly. A ring light is a great beginner portrait photography lighting tool – it lets you eliminate all the shadows from your subject’s face with a single light (save hours of learning the Rembrandt/clamp-shell/paramount lighting setups), and without breaking the bank. It’s also perfect for self portraits on smartphones & DSLR’s. Are you looking for a simple and cheap photography lighting? Keep reading!

I love getting my hands on some new photography gear. The specific ring lights I’ve been testing this week are Smoovie Ring Lights by Mayhem UK. They come in two sizes 6” and 8”, RGB colour and natural white, with little light stands included in the box.

Cheap photography lighting: WHY should you use ring lights for portraits?

Soft and even light on the face

Because of a ring light’s shape, the light is coming from different directions, hence eliminating any shadows.

Pleasing reflection in subject’s eyes

They say eyes are a reflection of the soul, so as photographers we want to capture it. Eyes are the first thing we look at in a portrait, so to make a portrait striking it’s important to have catch lights (reflection of the light in the eyes). When using a ring light for portraits, getting beautiful catchlights has never been easier!

Soft as a soft box

All we want is a soft and flattering light in portraiture. It suits everyone, unlike harsh light that mostly suits models with perfect skin and slim body. Remember, the bigger the light source relative to the subject, the softer the light will be. So if you have a ring light closer to your subject’s face, the light will get softer. If you pop it on a light stand, you’ll get a bit more directional light; place a reflector underneath – a perfect headshot lighting setup is there at a minimal cost.

Adjust colour temperature to match the ambience

The Smoovie Ring Lights have adjustable temperature colour so you can use them seamlessly in any ambient light scenario.

Minimalistic look

Even if it does get in the frame, it sill looks kinda cool. You can also use it as a prop! Get creative, and think outside of the box.

This design also looks quite stylish when it’s unlit. It blends well with home décor and the rest of photographic equipment .

Portable and light-weight

I travel for shoots a lot and it’s important that my photography gear is portable. Most ring lights are small enough to fit easily inside your photography bag.

Variety of colours

If you love colours like I do, get an RGB light! Mayhem UK RGB ring light has 16 different colours in one light. It’s convenient and saves buying a light and coloured gels separately – just a click of the button to change the colour.

Price

There are so many ring lights on the market, it’s hard to choose which light is right for you! Though if you’re just starting out and not looking to spend a lot – picking up a <£20 portrait light can do wonders for your photos.

You might argue that the more expensive lighting is sturdier and will last longer etc. That’s true, and yes, I too used to be an “equipment snob”… but picture this: you’re on a location photoshoot, someone trips over a tripod and your expensive light hits the floor. Likely it’s broken. I’ve shared with you previously my expensive speed light story – it fell over and hit the floor just once, and it was busted. So for this price, if it breaks – it breaks. No crying over expensive gear and paying for repairs. You can just buy another one!

Disadvantages

Just like every product, ring lights have their disadvantages.

Not very powerful

The light output is not very powerful, but you get what you pay for. It’s perfect for iPhone portraits, video calls and livestreams, but for photography it might not be powerful enough if your camera does poorly in low light situations (visual noise may creep in). However, if your camera handles low light well, ring lights are an awesome addition to your kit – a creative aid when you desire something unique.

Cables

Some ring-lights and budget lighting equipment in general come with cables as opposed to batteries. This doesn’t seem like a big issue, but sometimes when you’re working on set with a larger team it turns into limbo with wires all over the shop. You’ll also be limited to working near plug sockets only.

I really enjoy using my Smoovie Ring Lights, and big thank you to Mayhem for providing me with a couple for my work. They shall remain a trusty addition to my photo and video kit now.

If you’d like to grab some for yourself – check them out on Etsy.

What is your go-to cheap photography lighting?