Catchlightgeneral
The little reflection of the light source in a subject's eyes that makes a portrait look alive.
A catchlight is the bright speck a light leaves in the eye. Without it, eyes look flat and lifeless; with it, the portrait feels present and engaging. Position your subject facing toward a window or light, or use a reflector, so a clear catchlight appears in the upper part of each eye.
Use this when
- Portraits: turn the subject toward the light for eye sparkle
Common mistake: Lighting from above/behind so the eyes go dark and dead.