Flash photography tip: Get creative with catchlights

Thursday 18 July 2024, 20:10 by Elja Trum | 1,776 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

You can often see the light sources you use reflected in your model's eyes. These are called catchlights. A general rule is that round catchlights are considered attractive.

This is why an octabox is often used as the main light in the studio: it creates beautiful round catchlights, as well as better shadows.

Adriëtte - f/11, 1/125s, 200 ISO @ 70mm
You can also use the shape of your light reflected in the eyes. For example, to give your model cat's eyes, as in the photo above.

To create this effect, I placed two strip lights, narrow, long rectangular softboxes, right next to each other. I positioned myself between them with the camera and took the portrait straight on.

In Adriëtte's eyes, if you look closely, you can see the two strip lights reflected. But if you look from a little further away, you can see that the model's pupils appear to have an unusual shape.

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