How do you photograph someone with "BIG EYES" from thick glasses

[gardenstate]

Hi all,
I have an upcoming shoot of a BAT MITZVAH (13 year old) girl...

She has very thick lens in her glasses (like Coke bottle bottoms) that make her eyes look very large.

How can you photograph her properly?

Do you photograph her face WITHOUT the glasses or with them on (which is the way most people see her)?

thanks.

[forkball]

I know that one of the kids in my son's baseball league had a huge mole on his face between his nose and mouth, and the photographer who did the photos took the liberty of removing it in photoshop... the mother was VERY upset at this because she's always known her son to have this mole. I think that this girl is seen by her friends and family everyday with these glasses on. While it may look odd to you that her eyes look so huge, it's probably going to look very odd to her parents, family, and friends if you go messing with the eyes too much in photoshop afterward, should she want the photos done with her glasses on. Remove glare from a light, or a shadow that looks wrong... but I think changing the size of the eyes will make the image look weird and un-natural. Just my opinion anyway.

[Curtis N]

Forkball is right. Removing blemishes, which are temporary, is a different story.

Ask her if she wants to be photographed with her glasses on or off, and follow her wishes.

If the lenses are very convex you could get glare even if the lights are 45 degrees right & left, so that might be the biggest issue.

[aacmckay]

Did some looking around. The only advice I found was to remove the lenses from the glasses for the shot. ;) Fun fun :D

That said observe with your own eyes. Move around and try to find an angle that minimizes the effect. I've experimented with my gf as she wears glasses as well. Mind you her glasses don't cause large eyes, but a distorted face line. It's not too hard to find an angle that works well.

[MagicallyDelicious]

Id be upset if someone changed me - id wonder 'whats wrong with me'

Maybe grow a huge complex especially at the age of 13 which could lead to all sorts of self image issues in the future.

Just shoot her has she is!

[funnypicmaker]

Maybe the girl and her parents don't mind the big eyes. Now I do know that mean superficial people would poke fun at her, but maybe the pictures will only be seen by family members.

[Tee Why]

ask the customer, Let them know that the glasses will cause distortion to the proportion of the eyes (this sounds more technical than "hey your kids got bug eyes") and if they want to remove the glasses for the shots, don't mind having the distortion, or want it digitally corrected (assuming you are capable and willing to do that). See what they say.

[MagicallyDelicious]

Did some looking around. The only advice I found was to remove the lenses from the glasses for the shot. ;) Fun fun :D

That said observe with your own eyes. Move around and try to find an angle that minimizes the effect. I've experimented with my gf as she wears glasses as well. Mind you her glasses don't cause large eyes, but a distorted face line. It's not too hard to find an angle that works well.

I wouldnt suggest taking the lenses from the glasses yourself.

get a trained optician to do it as they maybe be very expensive prescription glasses and not knowing what you are doing it could prve to be an expensive mistake if something happens to the lenses while your doing it.

[aacmckay]

I wouldnt suggest taking the lenses from the glasses yourself.

get a trained optician to do it as they maybe be very expensive prescription glasses and not knowing what you are doing it could prve to be an expensive mistake if something happens to the lenses while your doing it.

Agreed :) I wouldn't remove lenses myself.

[aacmckay]

Id be upset if someone changed me - id wonder 'whats wrong with me'

Maybe grow a huge complex especially at the age of 13 which could lead to all sorts of self image issues in the future.

Just shoot her has she is!

Nothing wrong with shooting her as she is. But there's nothing wrong with trying to find a flattering angle that reduces the effect. Might work out that you need that angle do reduce reflections anyways.

[MagicallyDelicious]

Agreed :) I wouldn't remove lenses myself.

I know some people with glasses squint without them so see how she is without them as well as you might have a large eyes nose screwed girl on your hands without! lol

[MagicallyDelicious]

Nothing wrong with shooting her as she is. But there's nothing wrong with trying to find a flattering angle that reduces the effect. Might work out that you need that angle do reduce reflections anyways.

Totally agree with that - but not the 'changing eyes size' in photoshop or anything like that!

Spots & acne are fine but actual facial features should be left well alone otherwise the customer wouldnt recognise themselves!

[aacmckay]

Totally agree with that - but not the 'changing eyes size' in photoshop or anything like that!

Spots & acne are fine but actual facial features should be left well alone otherwise the customer wouldnt recognise themselves!

Agreed. :)

Changing someones apperance in photoshop outside of touching up blemishes (spots and acne) is asking for trouble. Some people are even sensitive about you touching up blemishes.

[MagicallyDelicious]

Agreed. :)

Changing someones apperance in photoshop outside of touching up blemishes (spots and acne) is asking for trouble. Some people are even sensitive about you touching up blemishes.

God i wouldnt be! Airbrush me til the cows come home! lmao! :)

[gardenstate]

Thank you all for your great advice!

Warren
"gardenstate" now in Illinois

[forkball]

Agreed. :)

Changing someones apperance in photoshop outside of touching up blemishes (spots and acne) is asking for trouble. Some people are even sensitive about you touching up blemishes.

lol... yeah well I don't ever recall having a customer look at a picture and say with anger, "HEY!... I had a zit on my chin, where is my zit?!?!"

[chtgrubbs]

I'd just shoot her with and without the glasses and then let the client pick the ones they like.