Heather Palmer Photo

Here is my latest tutorial post for the blog Making The World Cuter. Check it out on their website, or below.

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I often get asked the question, “why does everyone you photograph appear to have such amazing eyes?” The answer is, Catchlights.

Catchlights are gleams or shapes of light that are captures in a person or animals (your subjects) eyes. When you achieve catchlights, your subjects eyes are filled with light, revealing their beautiful detail and colour as well as the shape of your light source which gives those eyes that extra gleam & sparkle.

Catchlights may sound complicated, but the are extremely simple to capture. All you have to do is FIND THE LIGHT.

How to Photograph Beautiful Catchlights

 

Finding the light

Look around you and determine where your light is coming from. This is your “light source”. A light source can be a studio light, a window, an open door, or the sun.

Once you have determined where your light source is, turn your subject to face it. Then, focus on the eyes and snap away. The shapes of light reflected in your subjects eyes are your catchlights. If you are photographing catchlights using direct sunlight, make sure your subject is in open shade so that the sunlight isn’t directly on their face causing shadows and squinting.

Here are a few examples…..

Open Shade. This sweet little one was positioned in some shaded grass beneath some tall trees. The light source was the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overcast Skies. This particular day was extremely overcast so the catch lights aren’t as defined, but rather fill much of his eye.
A Window. This baby was positioned to face the window. I photographed him with an open window directly behind me on a very sunny day.