I am a hobby photographer. A serious amateur is what I often say. I love taking photos. People are my favorite. Capturing relationships and not just posed images are the most fun. Portraits of single individuals is my other favorite capture.
I learned quickly about catchlights. What is a catchlight? Miriam Webster defines a catchlight as "a small spot of light reflected from a shiny surface (as from an eye in portraiture or from metal or glass in photography)". The little white reflections in the eye are what bring the eyes to life, even in a flat image.
They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Catchlights are a reflection of the light source. We have to recognize the light source to set up an image for catchlights. Bright sunlight makes for harsh shadows in photographs. "Open shade" is the best for portraits. Light that is filtered through an overcast sky or a window works well.
The light source does not have to be clearly visible to create the desired reflection in a subject's eyes. Move a subject until you can see the catchlights, then frame the picture.
Most were not looking for a photography lesson today, but I have decided on "catchlights" as my one little word for the year. I will ponder and pray on it. My 2020 word was "light". It turned out to be a good word for a difficult year. Light has so many spiritual implications. "Catchlights" will require a little more pondering, but it is the word that felt right.
There are no catchlights without the light source. We have to identify the source. God is our source.
God addressed Job with these questions: "Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?" -Job 38:24
Becoming familiar with our light source is a game changer.
Today, I am grateful for catchlights.
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