Another thing to know: the power and size of the ring light does make a difference. If you want visible catch light on your subject’s eyes for portrait photography, you’ll need a much bigger ring light. However, smaller ring lights will give you the same effect if you’re going to do a lot of close ups. As for the power, it’s usually best to get one that has a dimmer. You will be able to easily adjust the power depending on the distance between your ring light and your subject.

You’ll know if a model is facing a ring light by the appearance of circular catch lights (or eye lights) in the subject’s eyes. These spectacular highlights instantly make the portrait more attractive and engaging, as they instantly draw the viewer’s attention.

Photographers use ring lights for other types of creative lighting setups that don’t necessarily require you to shoot through it. Just take a look at this video from Daniel Norton for AdoramaTV:

We're really hoping to add our own calculator in the future, and simulate some example lenses in our frames to take away the guess work. Take a look at our range of glasses designed specifically for thick minus lenses here or head over to our socials for examples of frames with fitted lenses.

A ring light is a simple lighting tool that is commonly used for beauty shots, portraits, and macro photography. It features a number of small bulbs forming a circle or just one circular fluorescent bulb. When used in photography, it creates an attractive catch light on a subject’s eyes. At the same time, it emits even, diffused lighting, similar to a softbox, that helps eliminate shadows. You can position this light in front of the subject, with the camera situated in the middle of the circle.

- The frame eye size and bridge, you should be able to find on the glasses description and is usually in this format: 46-22-145. These are usually found written on the inside of every pair of glasses too.

Lastly, take note of the color temperature. Even if you decide to use color gels to temporarily create more fun colors with the light, you’ll want  a natural default color. Ring lights are often best in fluorescent, warm white, or even stark white lighting — instead of warm yellow or bright white.

Your Pupillary Distance is a key variable in estimating thickness, and is the distance between the centre of your right and left pupils. You can read more about this in our article on lens thickness.

Virtually every serious makeup artist on YouTube uses a ring light kit for makeup tutorials. These lights instantly enhance facial features and help show the true colors of the skin as well as the products. Artists simply place their makeup ring light in front of their cameras (or camera phone) and record away. Makeup artists also use ring lights while preparing models and brides for photoshoots.

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However, keep in mind that if you’re making a constant ring light, you’ll need to brush up on bulb types and use the right materials. That way your DIY version will be safe for repeated and prolonged use.

Ring lights can be used for a variety of purposes in photography and videography. They also provide plenty of light for other professional uses. Here are some of the most common uses and considerations for the best ring light use.

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A constant ring light is easier to adjust, because what you see is what you get as far as power and quality of light. Strobe ring lights that flash with every click of the shutter can help you save power, but may involve a steeper learning curve.

Once your subject is ready, simply place the ring light in front of your camera. Whether you’re using a camera phone or a more professional camera — like the Sony Alpha a7 IV, Panasonic Lumix GH6, and Canon EOS R5 — make sure you position the lens right in the center of it so you get even lighting on your subject every time. Use a clip or even a stand or tripod to hold your camera and ring light in place.

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- Lens material is the thinning option you've been recommended, or that you usually get. The thinnest option featured would be 1.74 for plastic lenses.

Before going into your meeting, check your Zoom video preview settings. Play around with the ring light’s brightness and make sure it’s enhancing your features rather than making you look like too bright. Turn off any outside lights that you have on, as your light will be enough. This will also help your camera focus more on your face.

If you're buying your frames in-store, ask the staff to support you on predicting lens thickness. If they say it's not possible, push them or ask them to find out more information. If you're being helped by a sales staff member, then ask them to bring out a big dog who's more trained, liked the optician. Some stores might even have the staff that make and fit the lenses who you can talk to.

Professionals in portrait photography absolutely love these lights. They offer more diffused, soft light on the subject, while reducing the appearance of harsh shadows. Those functions alone make this a popular lighting choice for close-up portraiture. Ring lights can make your subject “pop” without washing out or changing the contours of the face in a way uneven lighting would. That makes these lights the perfect selection for portraits and selfies.

Because ring light kits are often very affordable, they’re a great choice for content creators who maintain a YouTube channel or do live streams on TikTok, Twitch, and other platforms. If you’ve ever wondered why someone looks well-lit even when using a webcam, they’re probably using a ring light. The best ring lights are arguably the top lighting option for YouTube videos, especially for vloggers and product reviewers.

Some ring lights can plug directly into your computer and some can be plugged into the wall. Find out which one you prefer. A light with a wall plug frees up your USB ports for more peripherals. Once you use your ring light for the first time, you’ll never go back.

You can use clip-on selfie ring lights even when recording with a cell phone or tablet, making them a great inexpensive and portable option.

We've dropped in some examples below to demonstrate lens thickness in a couple of our frames, which also shows how PD can impact the end results.

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It's possible to work out an estimate of how thick your lenses will end up being in each pair of frames you're thinking of getting, and for each eye. You can use an online calculator like this one.

For macro photography, these lights offer a slightly more front-focused lighting compared to a lightbox. Simultaneously, they distribute light around a small subject well enough to hide shadows and bring out more detail. With the right color temperature, a ring light can supplement natural light seamlessly. Kits are commonly used for floral and insect photography.

Lighting is a key component not only for content creators but also for those work-from-home meetings. If you plan on being in front of your computer’s webcam for an interview, you’ll definitely want a light to add some clarity. The major difference between an LED light and a ring light is mainly the shape. LED lights will tend to have a more rectangular shape, whereas Ring lights will be in the shape of a ring.

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Using a ring light for the first time could be a little jarring. You now have this bright light aimed at your eyes while you’re on Zoom. When setting up your light, you want to make sure you’re not blown out (or too washed out).

- Your Interpupillary Distance (PD) is the distance between the centre of each of your pupils. The average PD for men is 64, and for women it's 61.

Keep in mind that this is not a full proof estimation, because of the lens shape and how it will be cut out to fit your glasses.

There are lots of digital tools and apps out there that can scan and measure it. Ideally, you need your duel pupillary distance measurements (also called monocular centration distance) - basically a right and left measurement, measured from the centre of your nose.

Ring lights can be purchased as existing kits and fixtures, but there are also many tutorials on how to make your own DIY ring light. Ring lights are generally available in two formats: strobe and constant. Strobes are usually used for still images, while constant lights are the best ring lights for video content creators.

If you’re using constant light, you can easily adjust the power and your distance from the subject. This will get you your desired effect before clicking your shutter. If you’re using a flash version, you can do several test shots to determine the changes that you need to make. Think: distance and light strength.

Additionally, LED lights are designed more for videography and product showcases. LED lights also tend to be a little more expensive than ring lights. The best thing about a ring light is that it has space for your camera to allow you to shoot through it. The shape of a ring light is designed to be used more for capturing faces. If you plan on having a ton of in-home meetings and interviews, or starting your own TikTok account, go with a ring light. However, if you plan on starting a YouTube channel, a Twitch channel or just want a wider light source, an LED light might be best.

You'll need your prescription including your pupillary distance (PD), and the measurements of the glasses. For the calc mentioned above, these are some of the details that you'll need to fill in;