Variable Output.Variable flash output is important. Can you adjust your
ring flash within^1 / 3 to^1 / 10 of an f-stop without repositioning your subject and
light source? There is nothing like^1 / 10 of an f-stop accuracy. The Hensel, Pro-
foto, and Broncolor units will not only achieve this accuracy, but with visual
verification LED displays, and most can also be adjusted via the radio remote
trigger in^1 / 10 f-stop increments with audio verification up to five full f-stops!
This is great when you shoot out of the ring. Steer clear of those novelty units
that claim^1 / 10 f-stop adjustments but utilize sliding levers—this accuracy is
based on human touch and feel (and some good guessing). Can you adjust the
water temperature in your shower to^1 / 10 of a degree with the water knobs by
touch and feel? Nope. You can’t do it with your lights, either.
Marketing Hype. Don’t fall victim to marketing hype: when it comes to
“effective” watt-seconds versus “true” watt-seconds, the latter is the one that
is the industry standard and the one that matters. “True” means “real.” “Ef-
fective” means “marketing hype.”
In a nutshell, shooting through a ring flash, other than when using the
over/under lighting technique described earlier in this book, is a fad and tends
to be overused, especially when paired with a seamless background in the stu-
dio. Be careful and make informed decisions when purchasing a ring flash.
Ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” If the answer is yes, then decide how far
away you will be from your subject to achieve your desired results—both in-
doors and outdoors. Novelty units will not suffice when photographing people
outdoors. Save the novelty units for photographing bees hovering over a
flower in search of nectar. Just don’t get stung.
On-Camera Flash or Speedlights.
On-camera flash, or speedlights, are something I rarely use anymore when it
comes to glamour photography. In years past, especially when I did a lot of
photojournalism, on-camera flash was a must, but there are reasons why I stay
away from it when photographing women: it’s specular and harsh.
As a glamour photographer, on-camera flash or speedlights should be your
last resort. If I don’t have any artificial light sources, such as studio flash units
LIGHTING BASICS 49LEFT—A Hensel Integera Pro Plus 500 monolight (fitted with a Chimera Super Pro
Plus medium strip box and a Lighttools 40-degree grid) serves as the back-
ground and the accent/hair light. The main light is another Hensel Integra 500
Pro Plus monolight fitted with a 22-inch beauty dish. I also postproduced this
image with the Nik Software’s Bleach Bypass filter. (CAMERA:Canon EOS 5D Mark
II fitted with a Canon 70 –200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. SETTINGS:200mm effective
focal length,^1 / 200 second shutter speed, f/5.6, white balance at 6000K, ISO 100)