How do i get myself (subject) to not have "dead eyes"

JBPhotog · Apr 8, 2021

These are from a heavily cropped pin-up shoot. The butterfly lighting works for the face but missed the catchlights in the eyes, so I added them in post.

smoke665 · Apr 8, 2021

@JBPhotog 's examples illustrate another important part of life like eyes. A catch light is more than a specular highlight off the surface of the cornea. Light is actually passing through the pupil and reflecting back off the retina. If your light is aimed straight on the eye that reflection would come straight back through the pupil and show up as "red eye", but if that light comes in at an angle it is reflected back at an equal opposite angle (angle of incidence) providing back lighting of the iris. Note how in his second image he not only added a catch light at the top of the eye, but also brightened the iris in the bottom half.

Braineack · Apr 13, 2021

Peter Hurley talks about it all the time

smoke665 · Apr 13, 2021

Interesting discussion, in addition to the "Dead Eyes" mentioned by the OP and the "Smize" demonstrated by @SquarePeg , I'm sure everyone has heard of "Bedroom Eyes", and "Sparkling Eyes", but how about "Devious", "Wild-Eyed", "Penetrating", "Enchanting", "Cold", "Icy", "Tired", "Glistening", "Watery", "Peering", "Captivating", "Tantalizing", "Devouring", "Doe Eyed"..........the list goes on and on. Anyone want to try examples of these??? LOL

Jason LB · Apr 13, 2021

I have the same issue- dead eyes, fake looking smile, insincere appearance, unnatural. Unless....my photo is taken by a close friend. then, those dead eyes and the rest disappear. If a stranger takes my photo, forget it. It's about the "energy" you feel when your photo is being taken. If you're sincerely happy about the person who's behind the camera, if they know you well, I'd bet your image looks 100% better. This is true for me at least.