aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

I was taking pictures of adults and children. My key light was a shoot-through umbrella. Nearly every person wearing glasses had a light reflection. The photos were properly exposed. What is the best way to avoid eyeglass reflections when shooting with an umbrella?

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

No matter what light you are using, the only two completely successful solutions are a circular polarizer (all faces must be facing in the same general direction to be fully effective), and the use of prop glasses containing no glass. Adjusting the angle between the light, camera, and lens will affect what shows in the final image, but there will always be a reflection.

Many successful portrait photographers just make use of the reflection - the angle of the light to the glasses will determine what appears in the image, so the best way to do this is to adjust the subject and light in the studio to get the reflection you want in the lenses.

Andy

steinr98

sometimes (if you cannot remove the glass) you can tilt the frame so the glasses point downward just a bit so the reflections are not there- You do have to be careful doing this so the temples do not show that the front of the glasses are tilted- all it takes is a few degrees if it works for your subject.

aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Thank you Andy, I had not thought of that one. I will certainly give it a try.

aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Thanks for your advice.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

A circular polarizing filter will reduce or eliminate eyeglass reflections.

Another "trick" used by some portrait photographers is to temporarily remove the lenses from eyeglasses, leaving only the frames.... but that's a bit more involved and time-consuming.

Some time ago I had a really nice portrait of a young lady who was wearing glasses, shot with flash, where one of the lenses reflected badly. It was shot on the fly and there was no way to reshoot it. So I used Photoshop to copy the eye that wasn't obscured by a reflection, flopped that copy and digitally "replaced" the lens that showed the reflection. The end result was very natural looking. But it would have been a whole heck of a lot easier if I'd just been able to avoid the reflection in the first place!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

There are a number of methods to prevent unwanted reflection in eyeglasses in portraits.

It helps if you fully understand how the angle of incidence theory works, that is, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

The next thing to realize is that folk who regularly wear eyeglasses should be photographed with the glasses in place for two important reasons. They are more recognizable and natural withthe glasses on and in the glasses are removed, without the use of contact lenses, the subject may become uncomfortable focusing on the lens or another target point to establish eye contact or to direct and center the eyes- the resulting images may have a strained expression or stare.

So...you need to mange the eyeglasses.


One method is to carefully raise the main light until the reflections disappear, however, you still must have sufficient illumination in the eyes to provide shadow detail, sparkle, and catch-lights. This is a careful and precise adjustment.

A very large main ligh source such as an umbrella is difficult to control in the above technique. Even if you raise it high enough to eliminate some of the unwanted reflections, however, the light source is so large that part of will still shows in the glasses. A smaller source is easier to control.

Another method is to carefully tilt the glasses very slightly downward, thereby changing the angle of incidence and reflection, This can only be eyeglass' frames in a 2/3 or profile view.

Sometimes I recommend that the client borrow a blank frame, in the same or similar style of their own, from their optician. This is especially important if the lenses are difficult to remove and properly replaced.

There are other issues that may necessitate blank frames. Some opposite, de-magnification which makes the eyes seem extremely large or small in the resulting images. Sometimes this also de-magnifies the orbital areas around the eyes and shows as an indentation the subject's head. Some bi-focal or trifocal lenses have viable lines that will show across the eyes.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Two of many techniques are 1) to remove the glass from a full frame set of glasses (this doesn't work with half frame glasses) and 2) angle the glasses down slightly by raising the ear pieces up. The first one has its problems that could result in your buying your client new glasses along with angering the client. The second one has limitations on how high one can raise the ear pieces until it starts looking odd in the picture.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I have found that having the main light high, and well to the side of the subject (person being photographed) works well. This is for studio type set-ups of course. Fill light will be lower, but also well to the side. Remember angle of incidence = angle of reflection. Study the spectacles before shooting. A slight downward tilt of the subjects head can often help eliminate reflections.

Stephan G

A couple of additional ways to add to the variety of answers. Ask if the person always wears their glasses. If no, ask them to remove their glasses. If the image is informal, there are many creative ways to include the glasses by making them props. Also a slight tilt of the head downwards and to the side can do the trick, as well.

aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Thank you for your very informative response. This will help.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I suppose I can write a book about eyeglasses and portraits, So...I did not include everything and every possibility in my last post and some of the other folks have contributed important points.

Of course, if the client does no wear glass all the time, they may decide to be photographed without them. Some folks just use their glasses for reading or driving and some use contact lenses intermittently. If, however, the always wear glasses, if they just take them off, they might squint and strain,, have difficulty focusing their eyes and that my produce bad expression in the portrait.

Removing the lenses from the frames can be a delicate operation so in out pre-sitting consultation we always advise them to borrow a blank frame, in the same or similar style of their own, from their optical supplier. Most opticians and optometrists are cooperative. Some will have their optician remove the lenses. Sometimes, however, they just let us take a few screws from metal frames and carefully reassemble the glasses after the shoot. With some plastic frames, the lenses pop in and out easily if you know how to do that. Some eyeglasses are prescribed to correct stabismus or tropia (crossed eyes) have especially ground and mounted prism type lenses and those have to be attended to by an optician. These lenses usually have to be left in place for photography or the subject's eyes will become misaligned.

For frameless glasses, we use thin wireframes as substitutes.

Sometimes I can work with the regular glasses simply by adjusting the lights as I explained previously. Problem is, as per the angle of incidence law, I may be limited in how many different views of the face (full face, 2/3 and profile) I can shoot when the appropriate lightings are employed. Or -suppose I need to lower the main light to photograph a person with eyeglasses and a hat, as in a military portrait.
In my case, I usually do a pre-sitting consultation a week prior to the shoot so everybody is aware of these issues as well as all the other preparations and has time to make the necessary arrangements.

I also previously mentioned that tilting the glasses downward may be limited to a full face camera angle as the slant on the temples of the frames may look unnatural.

I never use a CPL or any polarizing filter on portraits. They may remove the reflections but the will also take the diffuse and specular highlight with them.

I am mostly concerned with the main light as to reflections. I generally use a bounce fill that is high enough and behind the camera to evade the eyeglasses. I do not want to restrict myself to extreme side light just to address the glasses- I want to be able to use every kind of lighting form; butterfly, modified butterfly, Rembrandt, split, or kicker without unwanted reflections. I want to select the pose lighting with best suits the subject. Bringing in the fill light for the opposite direction of the main light, other than a flat position may yield cross-lighting or dis-unified lighting.

Sound like a lot of trouble? Well, it is said that the "eyes are the windows to the soul" so it is extremely important to render them beautifully in a portrait, even if the subject wears eyeglasses.
Also, Eye-wear is very stylish and fashionable nowadays so it too shod be shown off nicely.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Try:
How to Light People With Glasses and Avoid Glare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NWAcK-wM80
How to REMOVE reflections from glasses in PHOTOSHOP | NOT what you expect.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZNjEXuNEQc
Smile,
Jimmy T Sends

griffzky

I shoot kids sports pictures using an Alien Bee light and umbrella, and many wear sports goggles or glasses; usually just asking the subject to lower their chin just a bit will eliminate the glare and reflections. If they wear extremely thick glasses, it fails to work sometimes. Then you have to ask if they mind removing them, or ask their parents if the image is acceptable to them when you have minimized the problem reflection as much as possible.

williejoha

When shooting group photos or individual portraits I ask my subjects to look at a piece of red tape that I have taped on the upper end of one of the legs on my pod. Then I ask them to look into the lens without raising their head. Never failed me once. Of course you need to experiment with the heights of the tape and the results. Works for me.
WJH