Catchlights: Make Those Eyes Sparkle! | Photography Tips and Tricks | Teri Lynn Photography

There is so many ways to make your photos really stand out and one major way is catchlights.  What are catchlights?  Catchlights are the reflections of light in your subject’s eyes. Without them, your image can seem flat and lifeless.  However, get some awesome catchlights and your portrait will take on a life of its own and really sparkle.  I love eyes!  I do a lot of closeup work on faces because of this.  There’s nothing like a portrait that can see directly into a person’s soul.

“So”, you ask, “how do I get catchlights in the eyes?” It’s really pretty simple!  Look at your subject before you snap the picture.  Where is the light coming from?  How is the light playing on their face?  Notice how their eyes sparkle, or not.  To get that little shine, point them more towards the light.  You can position them so they are directly facing the light-source, or even have the light source off to the side. Play around and try to get those catchlights!  You will notice a significant difference in your images if you do this one simple thing!

Here’s an example of catchlights – you you get an idea of what I’m talking about!