Comments on: An Introduction to Catchlights http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:24:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jackie http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-70378 Jackie Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:29:45 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-70378 catchlights have always been difficult for me b/c i shoot actor's headshots mostly with natural lighting - i have to use reflectors too, so these little boogers are always slightly adding in their own silhouette into the eyes of my clients. AND my driveway is white, and the wall against my driveway is light=colored ...so my perfect lighting is still creating some funky catchlights. it's frustrating not being able to be perfect. LOL. studio light provides better results for the catch lights, but not always the even lighting that i need. Ohhh, the dilemma! catchlights have always been difficult for me b/c i shoot actor’s headshots mostly with natural lighting – i have to use reflectors too, so these little boogers are always slightly adding in their own silhouette into the eyes of my clients. AND my driveway is white, and the wall against my driveway is light=colored …so my perfect lighting is still creating some funky catchlights. it’s frustrating not being able to be perfect. LOL. studio light provides better results for the catch lights, but not always the even lighting that i need. Ohhh, the dilemma!

]]> By: Photogirlz http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-61905 Photogirlz Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:23:52 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-61905 This was interesting to read all of the views. to the one above that said "The challenge of photography is capturing the image via the tool in your hand, not the santized “just add water” method of PS. Call yourself “photographers”?? Haven't you forgotten that in the olden days there was what was called a dark room and in it you would dodge and burn to finish your photos and now in the modern day there is photoshop used in the exact same manner. You come across as an elitist and forget that simply taking a photo does not a great photograph make. I am sure that you are exceptional in your work but try not to put down your fellow photographers. Art comes from the completion of a photograph made both in a camera and a darkroom of sorts. Catch lights are a critical part of photography and I have seen many amazing photographs that do not have the traditional flash catchlight but a sparkle that is in the Iris as well and have been working on acheiveing that myself. Any suggestions? feel free to check out and comment on my work at www.2create.ca Thank you This was interesting to read all of the views.

to the one above that said “The challenge of photography is capturing the image via the tool in your hand, not the santized “just add water” method of PS. Call yourself “photographers”??

Haven’t you forgotten that in the olden days there was what was called a dark room and in it you would dodge and burn to finish your photos and now in the modern day there is photoshop used in the exact same manner. You come across as an elitist and forget that simply taking a photo does not a great photograph make. I am sure that you are exceptional in your work but try not to put down your fellow photographers. Art comes from the completion of a photograph made both in a camera and a darkroom of sorts.

Catch lights are a critical part of photography and I have seen many amazing photographs that do not have the traditional flash catchlight but a sparkle that is in the Iris as well and have been working on acheiveing that myself. Any suggestions? feel free to check out and comment on my work at

http://www.2create.ca
Thank you

]]> By: Christopher http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-55006 Christopher Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:48:09 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-55006 Catchlights in pets vs. humans For human subjects having the catchlights at 10 or 2 o'clock works in most cases, but check out animals. In particular dogs...depending on the breed and the shape of the animal's face a natural catchlight can look very odd. In some cases the catchlight can be at 10 o'clock in one eye and 12 o'clock in another. I tend to retouch out the existing catchlights and add back in a 10 or 2 o'clock set. I've never had a client notice...I truly wonder if anyone other than photographers really ever would. Catchlights in pets vs. humans

For human subjects having the catchlights at 10 or 2 o’clock works in most cases, but check out animals. In particular dogs…depending on the breed and the shape of the animal’s face a natural catchlight can look very odd. In some cases the catchlight can be at 10 o’clock in one eye and 12 o’clock in another.

I tend to retouch out the existing catchlights and add back in a 10 or 2 o’clock set. I’ve never had a client notice…I truly wonder if anyone other than photographers really ever would.

]]> By: Destiney Fischer http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-43866 Destiney Fischer Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:40:08 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-43866 I think it was a good learning article but I am not into the pin light catch lights to me it's a tall tail sign of a flash but sometimes I realize it's hard to avoid even with an external flash bouncing of the ceiling ... but I really hate dragging my lighting out blah! One of my friends does the most amazing job with catchlights she is not pro but a student much better then me! she is most certainly going to be a star one day!!!!!! her photography is breath taking http://www.flickr.com/photos/34613426@N04/ I think it was a good learning article but I am not into the pin light catch lights to me it’s a tall tail sign of a flash but sometimes I realize it’s hard to avoid even with an external flash bouncing of the ceiling … but I really hate dragging my lighting out blah! One of my friends does the most amazing job with catchlights she is not pro but a student much better then me! she is most certainly going to be a star one day!!!!!! her photography is breath taking

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34613426@N04/

]]> By: Pat http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-39315 Pat Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:27:41 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-39315 Great article and spot on with positioning of catch lights to produce the classic lighting patterns (Rembrant) on the subject's face. Great article and spot on with positioning of catch lights to produce the classic lighting patterns (Rembrant) on the subject’s face.

]]> By: Patch http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-37580 Patch Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:03:50 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-37580 One of the reasons for placeing the catchlights at 10 or 2 o'clock is because thats going to reflect your lightsource in a natural position. The early painters did it because thier lighting was usually from above at an angle. So if youre main lighting is from the upper left of the subject, catchlights are at 2, if the light is upper right of the subject, catchlights are at 10. This will change when you start lighting your subjects in unconventional ways. back light, glow from a low candle, multiple light sources, sidelights will all modify which catchlights you add, delete, or keep. Just looking at the eyes in this post will show a wide variety of conditions: http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/20-christmas-lights-photos-with-a-twist/. As with anything to do with photography, its all about your light source. Keep the light source in mind when playing with, adding, or deleting the catchlights and you wont go wrong. One of the reasons for placeing the catchlights at 10 or 2 o’clock is because thats going to reflect your lightsource in a natural position. The early painters did it because thier lighting was usually from above at an angle. So if youre main lighting is from the upper left of the subject, catchlights are at 2, if the light is upper right of the subject, catchlights are at 10.

This will change when you start lighting your subjects in unconventional ways. back light, glow from a low candle, multiple light sources, sidelights will all modify which catchlights you add, delete, or keep. Just looking at the eyes in this post will show a wide variety of conditions: http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/20-christmas-lights-photos-with-a-twist/.

As with anything to do with photography, its all about your light source. Keep the light source in mind when playing with, adding, or deleting the catchlights and you wont go wrong.

]]> By: Shannon http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-36302 Shannon Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:07:10 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-36302 Love the illustrations. Love the illustrations.

]]> By: Theron http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-21170 Theron Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:09:44 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-21170 "Capturing the image" involves many tools and choices that depend on what the photographer's intentions are. The tools include the choice of film (for you old timers), camera, filters, lighting, darkroom/printing techniques and, yes, software. The image is in the photographer's eye, not some objective reality, and how we get to it is our craft. That's why many photographers refer to "making" photos, not "taking" photos. “Capturing the image” involves many tools and choices that depend on what the photographer’s intentions are. The tools include the choice of film (for you old timers), camera, filters, lighting, darkroom/printing techniques and, yes, software. The image is in the photographer’s eye, not some objective reality, and how we get to it is our craft. That’s why many photographers refer to “making” photos, not “taking” photos.

]]> By: Jill http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-21165 Jill Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:33:07 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-21165 "OK I can agree with the photographer who is not allowed to use flash in church who goes to PS to create it, but apart from those very few situations I can’t understand why anyone would want to put catchlights in with PS. The challenge of photography is capturing the image via the tool in your hand, not the santized “just add water” method of PS. Call yourself “photographers”?? Yes acheiving the desired result is ellusive..it’s meant to be." Wow...are we feeling a little judgemental today, Rob?? First of all, I do not call myself a "photographer"...I am just a mom who happens to enjoy taking pictures, especially of my daughter, and just want to make them as 'pretty' as possible to help in the recording of her life. Unfortunately, photography is not and cannot be my 'profession' as I work full time (40+ hours each week) outside the home, am an independent consultant on the side for a scrapbooking direct sales company and have numerous other interests in addition to photography. I will never be a photographer, but so appreciate individuals like Bilka & hnfg (thank you, again!) who are willing to share their knowledge with the rest of us (who don't have the time or $$ for equipment to consider themselves professional photographers) to 'cheat' a little now and them to 'create' beautiful photos to cherish with family and friends. Sorry for my rant...I just took a little offense to that comment. I'm over it now...thanks! :-) “OK I can agree with the photographer who is not allowed to use flash in church who goes to PS to create it, but apart from those very few situations I can’t understand why anyone would want to put catchlights in with PS. The challenge of photography is capturing the image via the tool in your hand, not the santized “just add water” method of PS. Call yourself “photographers”?? Yes acheiving the desired result is ellusive..it’s meant to be.”

Wow…are we feeling a little judgemental today, Rob?? First of all, I do not call myself a “photographer”…I am just a mom who happens to enjoy taking pictures, especially of my daughter, and just want to make them as ‘pretty’ as possible to help in the recording of her life. Unfortunately, photography is not and cannot be my ‘profession’ as I work full time (40+ hours each week) outside the home, am an independent consultant on the side for a scrapbooking direct sales company and have numerous other interests in addition to photography.

I will never be a photographer, but so appreciate individuals like Bilka & hnfg (thank you, again!) who are willing to share their knowledge with the rest of us (who don’t have the time or $$ for equipment to consider themselves professional photographers) to ‘cheat’ a little now and them to ‘create’ beautiful photos to cherish with family and friends.

Sorry for my rant…I just took a little offense to that comment. I’m over it now…thanks! :-)

]]> By: Rob http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-catchlights/comment-page-1#comment-21152 Rob Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:20:12 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/an-introduction-to-catchlights/#comment-21152 OK I can agree with the photographer who is not allowed to use flash in church who goes to PS to create it, but apart from those very few situations I can't understand why anyone would want to put catchlights in with PS. The challenge of photography is capturing the image via the tool in your hand, not the santized "just add water" method of PS. Call yourself "photographers"?? Yes acheiving the desired result is ellusive..it's meant to be. OK I can agree with the photographer who is not allowed to use flash in church who goes to PS to create it, but apart from those very few situations I can’t understand why anyone would want to put catchlights in with PS. The challenge of photography is capturing the image via the tool in your hand, not the santized “just add water” method of PS. Call yourself “photographers”?? Yes acheiving the desired result is ellusive..it’s meant to be.

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