If you’re into wedding photography, you know that one image that you must have is the ring shot. As simple as the shot my seem, it’s often frustrating when you have to deal with a bad background or poor lighting. In this video Paul Keppel demonstrates an easy to use technique to make that ring shot in less than a minute and with brilliant results:
Equipment
Keppel uses a Nikon D750, full-frame camera, paired with a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro lens. His secret is in the lighting. He uses a Yongnuo Ny 160 Mark II, which is an inexpensive LED video light. This light has a set of barn doors attached to its sides, and therein is the trick.
Keppel stumbled upon this technique quite by chance. Once while shooting, holding the LED light in one hand and the camera in the other Keppel’s arms started to get tired. He put the light down on a piano, balanced on the barn doors, and in that instant an idea struck him.
“I literally put the light down and the next minute I realized that it’d make a perfect little softbox like a light tent for the rings. And that’s how the shot came about.”
Technique
Place the rings on a shiny or metallic surface. The edges of the rings should be on the same plane so that both of them are in focus.
Next, place the LED light, balanced on the barn doors, on top of the ring.
LED light placed right on top of the rings
Open the front flap so that you can shoot through. Placement of the rings will depend on your artistic vision. Keppel places them about three quarters to the back. That way the light tends to wrap around the subject.
Shooting through the barn doors
Focus, and make the image.
Simple isn’t it?
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Great Article thank you
Greta Video Paul, Small world, out of all the videos out here!