What’s a Catchlight? (And Why You Need One—Actually Two!)
What’s a Catchlight (And Why You Need One—or Two!)
Merle Oberon, a British movie star who worked in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s, found that when a cinematographer put a small light on top of the camera that causes a specular highlight in a subject's eye in an image—a catchlight—that she looked best. So, she began to request a light on top of all cameras filming her. That got known as an Obie light and it’s a term still used in cinematography to this day.
Merle Oberon, a British movie star who worked in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s, found that when a cinematographer put a small light on top of the camera that causes a specular highlight in a subject's eye in an image—a catchlight—that she looked best. So, she began to request a light on top of all cameras filming her. That got known as an Obie light and it’s a term still used in cinematography to this day.
When I photograph your business portrait, I will insist on a pose that creates a strong catchlight, because with one, your eyes look alive. And without, they’re dark. So catchlight it is.
It looks like this.
It’s actually seen in any good professional portrait and gives you a clue as to what lighting device was used to make the photograph. In the first one, the light is off to the subject’s left, which is why the side of her face closest to the camera has a light shadow, and why the catchlight is seen in the upper left of her eye. Sometimes you can see an umbrella shape in the catchlight if the photographer used a lighting umbrella for a modifier. The eye creates a perfect representation of the lighting device used.
It’s a fascinating look that once you see it, you’ll notice it in magazine portraits and advertising photographs all the time.
It’s what makes eyes look alive!
What To Wear for a Portrait Session
What To Wear for a Portrait Session
This question gets asked a lot and having photographed thousands of headshots for business people over my career, I’ve learned a few things I can share with you.
This question gets asked a lot and having photographed thousands of headshots for business people over my career, I’ve learned a few things I can share with you.
Women look great with dark-colored blouses because it lets their face take center stage in the photograph. As viewers, we’re drawn to light areas of a photograph, so to emphasize your face, go with something more subdued for a top. Also, stripes and patterns can work but it’s best to bring a few changes of clothing so we have options on the shoot day in case they’re taking too much attention. Dangling large earrings can also draw attention so smaller stud-type are usually a safer choice. Necklaces have to work with your collar-line, so choose some accessories that can be placed where you want them to fall. Again, bring choices and we can find the best combination that works. Jackets create a strong professional look, so I usually say let’s try a few like that. The best thing is to have a variety of clothing and jewelry options so we can choose different looks. Remember, at my sessions, you are never under a time constraint and you can have multiple outfit changes. This is all about you and getting the looks you want.
Men look great with open shirt collars with suit jackets, shirt collars and tie with suit jackets, and even just shirt and tie, depending on the look you want. A modern trend is a simple dark t-shirt with a suit jacket. We can try different combinations so, just like with the women, it’s best to have a variety of options so we can create different looks for your portrait.
Hair and makeup professionals are an option if you want to bring on a professional to touch you up. Mention that at the time of booking so I can get someone booked to be in studio for you on the day of your session.
I suggest expressions with a smile as well as a closed-mouth smile and a non-smiling strong confident look, so you have different poses for different uses.
If you’re a performer or creative who needs to have a portrait made for a book jacket or press kit, we can work with props and furniture as well. I can even use more contrasty lighting to create dramatic portraits. When we discuss your session, we can work out all the details of what will work best, and again, you’ll bring options so we can try different poses, outfits and setups.
For backgrounds, I like a formal old-masters hand-painted muslin background as seen above (the same type used by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz for magazine shoots), which implies a professional, high-quality, formal studio portrait, but white or another color background is also an option. Seamless background paper is available in a rainbow of colors, so if there are any special requests, I can bring them.
No matter what, you get to see the photographs as we’re making them so you know exactly if you’re finding the poses and looks that you want, and we don’t finish the session until you have multiple selections that work for you. You leave the session knowing exactly what your business headshot will look like.
And turnaround on the photographs, if needed, can be as quick as the next day.
The Beauty of Hair & Makeup
The Beauty of Hair and Makeup
It started with a call from an executive who wanted a new headshot, as most calls begin. But this one knew that she wanted the full treatment. Usually, it’s offices that bring in a hair and makeup (HMU) person for their full staff, but this woman booked a single business portrait and she wanted someone there to take care of her look. So, I called Marnie Brooks, a professional I know who’s worked in the industry for years and booked her to take care of my client.
It started with a call from an executive who wanted a new headshot, as most calls begin. But this one knew that she wanted the full treatment. Usually, it’s offices that bring in a hair and makeup (HMU) person for their full staff, but this woman booked a single business portrait and she wanted someone there to take care of her look. So, I called Marnie Brooks, a professional I know who’s worked in the industry for years and booked her to take care of my client.
We worked together to make multiple looks for her, some with glasses, several with different outfits. And I always work without a deadline, I want to create portraits until we get the various looks my client wants and can use. So, we do. That’s just part of the session. And as always, I compose horizontally knowing we can always crop verticals but if I were to photograph in a vertical format, creating a horizontal photo would be impossible, and there are many conference directors that request horizontal format photographs for their programs, so I create all headshots in that orientation.
It was a good day and a good photography session. The photos show her confidence and she has various looks for different purposes.