This is my new favourite photography “tip” thanks to Angie Baxter, very brilliant family photographer and all-round lovely person. If you are remotely interested in children’s/portrait photography, I can’t recommend her workshop “Love your Camera” highly enough.
One of the concepts that resonated most with me is the theory of catchlight – when you get a lovely reflection in your subject’s eyes, the light reflecting off a light source, either ambient or directional. In professional photography it most often uses a flash as the light source, but it is very different to red-eye, which is undesirable.
Angie does not use flash photography and neither do I. It means my results in dim light are hit and miss, but them’s the breaks. I prefer the softness of natural lighting – always have, always will. Angie’s course was brilliant for this very reason. I was struggling to get consistently good results using natural light, particularly indoors as, truly, I had no idea about how to actually use the feted Canon 5D in manual mode. I understood the theory behind ISO, shutter speed and f-stops, but I didn’t know how to use them on the camera I used. Angie popped into my life (thanks for the tip, Jess and Louisa!) and voila! $280 later I have the confidence to take my portraiture to the next level. Hold onto your seats, people. There’s a new camera cowgirl in town.
ISO 400, f5, 1/320
ANYWAY, back to catchlight technicals. Take this photo of my grubby child (above). I shot this at about 6.30pm in our backyard, with the light behind her. The reflection off her eyes is from the ambient light coming off the bricks beneath her. It gives her eyes depth and a mesmerising quality (ahem, I may be slightly biased). Apparently a catchlight at 10 o’clock is most desirable. This one is more an 8 o’clock, but I was happy with the result considering my child doesn’t sit still long enough for me to blink let alone position her for the best catchlight. Practice. Practice. PRACTICE.
Armed with knowledge of catchlights and a rather massive back-log of photos (48,000 to be precise), I went through them and noticed that the photos I most loved of my kids had catchlights. I was discriminating based on this concept and I didn’t even know it. In contrast, take the below photo. In many ways it’s a decent enough photo – the depth of field, focus and composition are all there, but [while wiping away self-congratulatory residue from my butt] there is no (or little) catchlight so her eyes look dull. Doesn’t mean it’s a shit photo but without light in her otherwise soulful eyes, there’s nothing to really grab hold of in terms of her personality and spirit. Her eyes are in shadow – if I’d moved her a little more towards the ambient light of the scene, I think the photo would have popped.
ISO 100, f5.6, 1/80
I’m still learning how to take beautiful photos of people. I’m not an expert, but I’m a sponge for this shit. I am also passionate about photography and sharing gems like this with you (thanks Angie. Again.)
Please feel free to leave a comment about your experience with catchlights, what worked, what didn’t. Do you have a foolproof method of taking photos with beautiful catchlights?
I think that you are an amazing photographer. Your photos are always stunning.
Thanks Catherine! I definitely want to make a career out of it – I just have to have the confidence in myself to simply go for it. Time to get my entrepreneur’s mojo ON, baby! Kx
Love these post
I really wanted to follow you by RSS (so I can read you on my phone) but it’s not working. Thought I’d let you know 
Caz
Thanks Caz. I’ll have to get the IT Guy (i.e. husband onto it). Are you getting an error message? Kx
Your photos are fantastic. I am just the worst at taking pics. I don’t have any idea what to look for! Never mind, I will leave it up to talented peeps like you
Thanks Sarah – I do love it. The light bulb really went off for me at that Love your Camera course. But I’m a firm believer that people do best with what resonates with them, whatever gets the fires burning. For me, it’s NOT craft – I don’t knit, sew, crochet, I can’t even scrapbook properly, but it’s OK as I get my creativity through photography and writing. “If you love it, it will come.” Kx
Gorgeous pics Kimberley – how completely amazing is Angie! I am forever going to sing her praises as what she taught me in one day was invaluable. xx
Thanks Son! She was SO AMAZING wasn’t she? She stripped the learning right back so that we weren’t getting bogged down in endless theory and technicals but we all walked away being able to shoot decently in manual mode. A FAB session. Oh yes. Kx
I can’t say I have a foolproof method but I always try to get catchlights when I am photographing Mia. And to be honest with you, I didn’t even know there was an actual technical term for it! I just picked up from many years of ogling portraits that the best ones had light in the subject’s eyes.
I would love to do one of Angie’s courses. I have her Art of Interviewing Children e-book and it is fabulous! Maybe next year once we are through the new baby stage I’ll be able to save a little and go to an actual course. I’ve recently started shooting exclusively in manual mode (since about November last year but have had to have a break due to leaving my baby (600D) at my sisters house and not havining her to practice on since New Year’s!) and its so much fun and a little bit exhilirating. I have learnt so much in the short space of time since starting to shoot in manual as it has forced me to think a little more about the technical side of the photos I’m taking rather than just basics of light and composition and I am so excited to experiment some more now that I have my camera back.
Thanks for reminding me – I need to buy that eBook! I absolutely recommend her course – hope you get to do one in Sydney soon! Mia is such a gorgeous muse – I’m stoked that I can actually capture how beautiful my kids are (again, slightly biased) in a photo. It’s so wonderful. PHOTOGRAPHY ROCKS! Kx
Beautiful pics and thanks for sharing the tip.
What gorgeous photos. Thanks for the tip. I am not a great photographer though hubby has a great camera! I need to start using it, or at least learning how to!
I know nothing about the technical stuff when it comes to photography – but more & more I’m feeling I need to do something about this!
I adore your Instagram photos – stunning. Thanks for tips but I’m a writer not a photographer, I’ll leave this up to you
Lovely photos:) Found you on FYBF
So that’s what it’s called – Catchlights!
I kinda just go by instinct and having a look around what light’s available. A big of glisten that shows up the blonde in the boys hair always makes me happy. I try to snap that.