Catchlights - I don't get it.

I am a sports guy......and was asked to shoot some high school girls in their prom dresses.....fine I say. I have some alien bee's and a couple umbrellas and some new Pocket Wizards....it will be fun. Found a studio to rent...easy stuff. Gah! Maybe not.

How do you set the lighting up to handle well balanced catchlights?

Here is what I ended up with....adequate for them, but I know I can do some much better. Advice please!

Well some of them you could edit using your favorite PP software, which is usually the case, but a lot of the time it has to do with the light source. The use of huge "Octo-boxes is really getting to be the fad. Sometime shoot-through umbrellas are used as well. And it could also be your light placement.

#'s 2, 3 and 5 are very nice. I would clone out one of the catchlights in #2 and 3 as the dual catchlights looks odd. #5 could stand as is. #2 reminds me of that movie poster for "A Clockwork Orange." Not that she is creapy or anything, just a simular head shot with the hat. Actually it's kind of seductive.

Sports photography is a whole different thing compaired to fashion photography. I dable a bit in both, but like you, prefer sports.

Number 3 is your best example of catchlights.

I used to think they shouldn't be there, but I came to realize it lights up an otherwise black pupil. Also very revealing on the lighting setup.

Double catchlights are nice, but I much prefer one.

I may also suggest posting this in G&N. The prolific posters there are very knowledgeable and can give you much more help. No offense to anyone here of course.

mark

Thanks guys. I like the catchlights, but they are impossible to see when you set the subject and really change the image when you see them in PP at full size.

I try and avoid to much work & time in PS or Aperture, but am beginning to think hat senior portrait / glamor work requires it.

I am uncomfortable posting these in the G&N section....perhaps it is just the conservative / prude in me.....but that's not where I want shots of some teenage kids.

The old school rule is one catch light per eye. Why? There is only one sun so two look unnatural.
I generally follow this rule, but like any rule it can be broken as long as the result is pleasing.