To Ray Flash or not to Ray Flash

After the incident with security last week, I've began thinking that I need a more compact solution for my portraits, especially when I plan to shoot in and around monuments. I admit that my equipment was light weight considering what I like to use.

That night I had my Canon 580 EXII inside a Lastolite hotshoe softbox with my Pocketwizard FlexTT5. I was using a minimum amount of equipment but enough to draw attention from the "authoraties". According to the gaurd I can and have to fill out a form or request to shoot any professional shots on monument property, and while it's free I have no way of knowing how long it will take to come in and sometimes like my style I like to get in and get out. Waiting has never been a strong character trait of mine. It's also a matter of knowing when you want to do it but not being able to on that day.  If you read my blog post on the subject, you will know what I mean, guerrilla style as it were. So now I'm in need something that is more guerrilla style.

I've been reading and seeing Youtube videos of photographers using a light modifier called a ringflash.  It's used most often in fashion photography, but it's making it's rounds in portraiture right now. It gives photos a really distinctive light, which I probably wouldn't notice right now if I tried but the thing that really made me take a lot at it was that fact that the light goes around the lens of the camera. You can see it in the video below (note: a long video but well worth a look)



I knew that a ring flash would be just what I needed to run and gun, get in and out or to play the bumbling new big camera purchaser that doesn't know how to use his camera yet. Either way I figure it won't bring too much attention in my direction. Now the models will very likely bring attention to us but hey I don't know how to use my camera and my cousin, sister, friend what have you is being VERY patient with me.

My next thought was that while the bigger ring flashes produce more light, the inherent need for an external power supply would a. add weight to my equipment and b. bring undue attention to me and the model (i.e. not very guerrilla style) what if there was a ring flash that uses regular AA batteries that was compact and easy to use. I knew the answer to my question the minute I asked it. The answer is of course the RayFlash (even has part of my name in it. how cool is that). I was able to create this effect in a similar fashion with 2 umbrellas in a calm shell configuration but again compact and good light are more important to me at this junction. Click to find more info about the RayFlash

So to answer the question in the title of this post the answer is simple. Of course RayFlash. I will order it soon and will provide some pics once it comes in.