Lighting / Eye Reflection

[jimmycrack]

I've seen this in many videos; where the studio light is reflected in the eyes to give a glossy / celebrity-ish effect. It's been in music videos, porns, documentaries, etc. I've been looking for various ways to re-create that, but I cannot even begin to use the right search terms.

I know it's just the light reflecting, but I didn't know if you guys had any tips on how to achieve that look or if there was an "industry standard" light for that purpose...

Anyways, I'm still a novice entering the world of lighting and I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

Here's an example: (@2:13 or any close up interview shots)

 

[mail4joeg]

They use specific eyelights of varying size. Place it near the lens so it bounces back into the lens. Experimient with larger and smaller sources, and with the specific position to give the desired effect. The brightness doesn't need to be too much.

 

[Paper_bag]

Looks like a sort of ringlight effect to me.

Here's Tom Antos' DIY tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmvNuop0hzg

Or go to B&H and type in "ring light".

Not sure if there's an industry standard, but I've seen photographers with this sort of stuff on their lenses.

Is it really used in porn??


Edit: Not sure a lot of the "ringlight" lights on B&H will do the trick -- they'll produce an even light rather than a ring. Anyway, do research before you buy!

 

[jimmycrack]

Thanks! Now I have some grounds for searching and researching. I appreciate it.

Is it really used in porn??

Yea, I wouldn't say it's widespread, but I've seen it before. (film-making has ruined porn, like being an audio engineer ruined music. haha)

Thanks again.

 

[David Jimerson]

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/announcement.php?f=81

2. No Pornography
Please don’t post any images or links to images with explicit sexual content -- Nudity in still images is not acceptable. Links to films that contain nudity are acceptable as long as the post is appropriately labeled for content. Links to any pornographic content are unacceptable. In addition, discussion of pornographic films, websites, the business of producing it, the morals of it, etc are not welcome here.

 

[Patryk_Rebisz]

"Sparkle in the eyes" is relatively easy to accomplish if you know what you are doing. The example you posted isn't the best to learn from as it utilizes flat lighting (for God knows what reason as they are filming tough ice hockey players) and uses "beauty" ring light that is more appropriate for fashion/glamour shots rather then drama, doc/reality shots.

That said you set you you lighting for your subject, then for your background then a large shot light source for the eyes. The trick is to make the eye light bright so that it's visible but not bright enough that in dramatically influences your lighting scenario. IN most situations i would stay away from placing the eye light over the lens unless your subject is talking to the lens, instead put a softbox at eye level near where the subject is talking to, then dim /scrim the softbox so that it still gives you the results without influencing your lighting.

 

[sonofaresiii]

Thanks! Now I have some grounds for searching and researching. I appreciate it.


Yea, I wouldn't say it's widespread, but I've seen it before. (film-making has ruined porn, like being an audio engineer ruined music. haha)

Thanks again.

I'll bet the instances you see it used there are just because the key lights happen to be reflecting into the... eh, actors', eyes. I'll often get an eyelight without even engineering one, that's just where the lights happen to be placed.

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

... then dim /scrim the softbox so that it still gives you the results without influencing your lighting.

There is in narrative films a 'read' of the eye light... no light could be 'read' as 'soulless' or 'evil'... or some such, a small point source, with 'deep sockets', perhaps evil as well, but then as the eye light broadens, with more 'lightness' in the sockets there's a more 'natural' feeling.

I'm think this sort of thing is on the order of the difference of a light above the talent, down ward pointing, vs. below the talent upward pointing. These two light setups have different 'narrative readings'.

 

[Patryk_Rebisz]

There is in narrative films a 'read' of the eye light... no light could be 'read' as 'soulless' or 'evil'... or some such, a small point source, with 'deep sockets', perhaps evil as well, but then as the eye light broadens, with more 'lightness' in the sockets there's a more 'natural' feeling.

I'm think this sort of thing is on the order of the difference of a light above the talent, down ward pointing, vs. below the talent upward pointing. These two light setups have different 'narrative readings'.

Oh yeah, totally. Sometimes you set-up all your lights forgetting about the eye light and then look at the monitor and think right away: "oh no, there is no soul!"

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

I'll bet the instances you see it used there are just because the key lights happen to be reflecting into the... eh, actors', eyes. I'll often get an eyelight without even engineering one, that's just where the lights happen to be placed.

From the various clips that people put up here, one of the 'missing' elements is the catch light in the eyes. Often the eyes look 'black', unless the lighting is pretty high, and they have blue eyes... a very popular eye condition Hollywood... the Wife is always commenting on 'there's an other blue eye actor or actress'... she is in fact blue eyed... but from Hollywood one may get the impression far more caucasians are blue eyed, than is the case...

As for 'use in porn', I'll direct those over 18 to search for examples on their own... but I would bet that there is use of 'beauty lighting' to eliminate wrinkles and skin blemishes without needing make-up... as that would probably smear during the proceedings...

For a more mainstream film... I read somewhere about the film "Logan's Run"(1976), which depicted a culture totally made up of 'youth', and one of the 'costume' designs was to have all the extras 'nude'. However, that was canned because the makeup process was considered to be too costly... so the opt'ed for scanty costumes...

Even further into mainstream, these days there are occasions where one sees a difference between the face makeup and the 'color' of the actoresses' arms. I use the female form of actor, because often is more noticeable, but occasionally one can see this on males as well.

A 'flat' light on the face may 'cover' a number of chicken tracks around the eyes and lips.

 

[jimmycrack]

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/announcement.php?f=81

Sorry to violate rule #2, David. Thank god I didn't post any pictures! haha

"Sparkle in the eyes" is relatively easy to accomplish if you know what you are doing. The example you posted isn't the best to learn from as it utilizes flat lighting (for God knows what reason as they are filming tough ice hockey players) and uses "beauty" ring light that is more appropriate for fashion/glamour shots rather then drama, doc/reality shots.

That said you set you you lighting for your subject, then for your background then a large shot light source for the eyes. The trick is to make the eye light bright so that it's visible but not bright enough that in dramatically influences your lighting scenario. IN most situations i would stay away from placing the eye light over the lens unless your subject is talking to the lens, instead put a softbox at eye level near where the subject is talking to, then dim /scrim the softbox so that it still gives you the results without influencing your lighting.

I like your thoughts as to why they would use beauty lights on hockey players... I guess it shows that everyone has a little glamour. haha