Captured (crosses horizon) Near-critical (photon ring) Escapes to infinity

Blackhole Ring: Photon Geodesics & the Photon Sphere (2D)

A parallel beam of light rays is fired past a Schwarzschild black hole and each ray's path is integrated from the real photon geodesic equation, not a decorative particle-swirl: rays inside the critical impact parameter fall through the event horizon, rays right at the edge loop around the photon sphere to trace the namesake ring, and rays further out escape after a visible deflection.