eye light

is a eye light mostly a natural one or a PP one

Getting the catchlight in the eye during the shot is desireable, I guess you could fake it in PP afterwards if so inclined.

Thanks

If faking it or "enhancing" the image watch that the light in the eye matches where the light (and shadows fall) on and from the subject.

And as the eye is spherical, a natural catchlight will have an arc shape to it; lighter on the ends of the arc and brighter to the center.

If adding this isn't done right it can either be obvious or at least add a strange look to the eye.

thanks BradM

in my bird photo's I never seem to get a good eye light, yes I know I will not get it if the light source is behind the bird , but if the light is say over my right shoulder with the bird facing right I very really get any life into the eye


I expect it will be difficult at this time of the year , any hint would be a help


Stuart

try adding just a small amount of fill flash to add a catchlight the built in flash is ideal does depend how far you are away from your subject

Thanks

maybe a bit far about 20 feet would be about it maybe I coud try with the 580 EX II

although we had a Great spotted Woodpecker on the feeder yesterday the light was poor, guess what good eye light but pics ruined by noise camera set it to iso1600 with the lens wide open f4 and 1/60

this was not a planned shot but a quick snatch up of the camera so was not expecting great results coupled with the fact that I was coming down with the flu

Saw Greater Spotted when visiting Mother in law yesterday, grabbed this shot, double glazed filters are not the best

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Lordedmond wrote in post #8981881
thanks BradM

in my bird photo's I never seem to get a good eye light, yes I know I will not get it if the light source is behind the bird , but if the light is say over my right shoulder with the bird facing right I very really get any life into the eye

I expect it will be difficult at this time of the year , any hint would be a help

Stuart

If the light is soft or an overcast day often the catchlight is very muted. If one zooms into the the eye they can often see where the catchlight should be and adding it is only a paint by numbers situation.

For example the 2 shots below, the first is as I have captured it and since posted in the birds forum. No real life to the eye. The 2nd is one I just dodged in some highlights by following the lighter pixels I found in the eye.

This was a quick and dirty job, I think if I was going to "keep" it this way I might add a few lighter pixels into the mid center area. This helps define the spherical shape and add the illusion of a refelection in the eye.

thank again for your input

artyman that photo made me do a double take apart from the colour of the feeder and the lack of noise its the same as the one I took