ringlight

English

Etymology

From ring +‎ light.

Noun

ringlight (countable and uncountable, plural ringlights)

(photography) A light source in a ring or torus shape that prevents distinct shadows.
- 1960, University of Michigan. Museum of Paleontology -, Contributions - Volumes 15-16, page 128:
  Figures 2 and 6 are of the same specimens but photographed with a ringlight.
- 1980, David Brooks, Carl Shipman, Theodore DiSante, How to control & use photographic lighting, →ISBN, page 132:
  Until recently, ringlights have been chiefly associated with technical illustration, such as close-up photography in medicine and dentistry.
- 1985, Eyes of Nikon: a comprehensive guide to Nikkor and Nikon series E lenses:
  Built-in ringlight flash provides virtually shadowless, wraparound illumination for inaccessible or elusive subjects.
- 2014, Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers, →ISBN, page 151:
  One of the characteristics of ringlight, when used as the only source, is its shadow. Because the light expands equally in all directions, it also throws an even shadow.
- 2014, Benny Migs, Alternative Portraiture, →ISBN, page 100:
  I had created a faux-ring light, and I was able to get a very cool ringlight effect for very little money.
Synonym of ringshine
- 1908, George Newnes, The Strand Magazine - Volume 36, page 298:
  The planet is illuminated by a superb ringlight, in addition to the radiance of various moons—for of the satellites there are several always above the horizon at the same moment.
- 1983, John Varley, Titan, →ISBN, page 26:
  Gray striations became visible on the planetary surface, illuminated by ringlight.
- 2016, Donald Suddaby, Prisoners of Saturn, →ISBN:
  The superbly designed hills already were taking on the blackness of coming night, several glaring in the ringlight as usual, those towards the horizon fading off into a jet obscurity.