Removing the flash from the eyes

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice on how to remove the reflection of the flash from the eyes when using strobes/softboxes etc.

I've tried to clone on a 25% strength but the pupil looks too dark and stands out.

http://ialiphotography​.files.wordpress.com …3/5img_0087-1-2.jpg?w=529

I've sorta done it with the light/dark clone stamp but its blurred any good detail out of the iris.

Anyone have any advice/tutorial for this sort of thing?

Many thanks people.

Usually you want those catchlights....why do you want to remove them?

Why would you want to remove the catchlight? Without catchlights the eye(s) will look dull and lifeless. Eve naturally lit portraits will have catchlights.

The answer to your question is to select a section that matches the color and light, feather, copy, paste, transform, rotate.

The real answer is to leave them there IMHO.

I agree, its often a PITA to get catchlights in studio
Leave them in.

Catchlights are good. Leave em in. Without them the pupil looks bad and flat.

Heh! I'll just suggest that you post an example of a "problem" shot, one cropped close so the eyes show up large, and let folks give 'em a shot and also give opinions whether they are "acceptable" or not!

Ok I'll post a before shot too

And after those answers I would want to ask why you would leave them in? What's the attraction of having them compared to not having them.

Seems like I'm in a minority on removing them.

Well, off the top of my head, one thing that catchlights do is draw attention to the eyes which, generally speaking, are the "focus" of a portrait.

For example, I just grabbed a photo I took a while back of my daughter. I did no "retouching" of this for any skin stuff, so you could look at flaws. But, I find myself drawn to the eyes, and the little catchlights are a big part of that: