How to fix bad catchlights in eyes ???

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/21/2007 05:36:14 PM · #1

External flash. I had a Gary Fong lightsphere, with bowl-top pointed at the model, but too much flash I guess.

I don't like the catchlights, to me they seem too close to the centres of the eyes, plus they are blown and have red fringing

1. What is a good technique to fix this in PP?
2. How might I avoid this in the future, as in get the catchlights out on the iris while the model is looking at me?

Thanks for any advice! :-)

Message edited by author 2007-10-21 17:36:38.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

10/21/2007 05:40:30 PM · #2

Just fill in the irises with black?

And if you still want catch lights ... you could fake them using a small brush and dodging a portion of her eyes at a 45 degree angle.

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

10/21/2007 05:44:20 PM · #3

That's not catchlights, that's redeye! Noob.

10/21/2007 06:01:24 PM · #4

Originally posted by dwterry:

Just fill in the irises with black?

And if you still want catch lights ... you could fake them using a small brush and dodging a portion of her eyes at a 45 degree angle.

I filled in with black and it looks spooky.

Originally posted by jhonan:

That's not catchlights, that's redeye! Noob.

Did i hear something from the peanut gallery? ;-P

10/21/2007 06:01:33 PM · #5

You must have had a pretty long focal length to get the catch that close to the center of the eye. That is red eye, fwiw.

A shorter focal length lens would have changed the angle a bit moving the catchlight off the pupil. Also remember, the closer a flash is to the subject, the softer it will appear.

Also putting the flash further off camera, either through a flash bracket or completely off-camera will get rid of that.

As far as fixing it goes, I think David's technique has got ya covered.

Message edited by author 2007-10-21 18:07:07.

10/21/2007 06:02:54 PM · #6

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

I filled in with black and it looks spooky.

Try a grayish color and don't forget to readd catchlights. Eyes w/o them tend to look lifeless.

Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Diagonal Fisheye for Nikon

10/21/2007 06:26:52 PM · #7

Thanks Mr. Forever, some excellent info!

muckpond

Nikon D200

10/21/2007 06:31:26 PM · #8

i say paste on some jack nicholson sunglasses and be done with it.

10/21/2007 06:33:16 PM · #9

Originally posted by muckpond:

i say paste on some jack nicholson sunglasses and be done with it.

LOL... that'd work :-)

10/21/2007 06:43:31 PM · #10

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

I filled in with black and it looks spooky.

Try a grayish color and don't forget to readd catchlights. Eyes w/o them tend to look lifeless.

How does one re-add catchlights? (Now that I've removed the red-eye and she has zombie-eyes.) :-)

Originally posted by muckpond:

i say paste on some jack nicholson sunglasses and be done with it.

harharhar. :-D

Message edited by author 2007-10-21 18:48:05.

ButterflySis

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

10/21/2007 06:49:36 PM · #11

First fixed white dots with healing brush. Then created a new layer and painted with brush white shape on one of the eyes. Gaussian blurred it at 8. Copied the shape (CTRL + ALT + SHIFT) to the other eye and changed the opacity of the layer to something more acceptable (75% I think it was) and voila...

Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital ED

10/21/2007 06:54:05 PM · #12

To re-add the catch light...

If you want a round one, it's easy, just use a regular round brush, not too soft, but not totally hard-edged. Just size the brush to the size ya want, use a really light gray, and click where ya want. You'll probably want opacity at near 100%.

Square catches would be harder, because as light follows the contour of the eye, it would warp the sides. That is, if you want it to look convincing.

Jimbo_for_life

Olympus E-500 EVOLT

10/21/2007 07:39:41 PM · #13

I would ahve to say i like them in the photo, it makes the eye appear like a lense or an actual eye. if theres no reflection in the eye it looks fake.