OnSet with Daniel Norton: Using a strip box to create natural vignette & capturing portraits using a ring light

posted Friday, August 9, 2019 at 6:00 AM EDT

Portrait photographer Daniel Norton is back with another pair of episodes in his ongoing OnSet video series for Adorama. In the new videos, seen below, Norton shows how to use a strip box to create dramatic soft light and shares tips for capturing better portraits using a ring light.

First, how can you create dramatic light which is also soft? When using a strip box, a 1 x 3 strip softbox in Norton's case, you can orient it horizontally to create a natural falloff in your portrait. The resulting light is somewhat hard, but it is also diffused, which creates an interesting look and help add depth to your image. This is also a way you can add a natural vignette to your images, even if you intend to add more during post-processing.

The next of Norton's OnSet videos is focused on how to use ring light for portraits, specifically how to use a ring light as a fill light when working with a second, larger light source. In addition to creating the trendy ring-shaped catchlights, a ring light clearly has additional utility in a portrait setting.