Catching the Catchlights – Weekly Photo Challenge “Eyes”
“Your eyes are full of language.”
Anne Sexton
CONTRAST
This week’s challenge is eyes, which offered such a wide variety of responses I had a hard time narrowing my focus (pun intended!). I decided to restrict myself to some examples of catchlights. For the non-photographers among us, the dictionary defines catchlights as “a gleam of reflected light in the eye of a person or animal in a photograph.” As an example, if you click on the photo above you will see catchlights in the eyes of both subjects. I captured this moment while shooting some dockworkers in South Africa. I was struck by the world-weariness of the father vs the exhuberance of his son.
DANCERS
“The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter.”
Marcus Tullius Cicero
I loved the quote above by Cicero, and think his idea (as well as the catchlights) is illustrated quite nicely by the photograph of the two young Thai dancers. Clearly the young dancer on the left is having a bit more fun with the moment than her partner 😊. Catchlights give our subjects an oft-noted gleam or sparkle in their eyes, which often connotes mischievousness or playfulness.
THREE OF A KIND
THE LOOK
“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”
Martin Buber
Catchlights are also important when shooting animals. If you look closely by clicking on the photo above, you will notice that the catchlights actually reflect the photographer (yep, me!). Seeing oneself within the catchlights is always fun for a photographer, including yours truly.
BLACK AND WHITE
“Silent words are heard through eyes.”
Vikrmn
For several years I donated my time and photography skills to a local animal shelter for their annual fundraiser. It was a powerful illustration for me that although animals may not be able to speak our language, they can tell us what they are thinking in many non-verbal ways, including the look in their eyes.
FLYING EYES
“The Artist always has the masters in his eyes.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Finally, I offer an example in the graphic wall art above, which I captured in Buenos Aires. In this case the artist literally painted catchlights into his colorful mosaic. How cool is that?!
Travels and Trifles 
Pingback: EYES (Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #205) – priorhouse blog
Pingback: DIFFERENT (Lens-Artist #40) – priorhouse blog
Wonderful portraits, Tina. Love how you’ve captured two entirely different expressions in the same frame in the first image!
Those animal eyes are so captivating. Lovely post
Many thanks Laurie!
The detail of catchlights is fascinating! You don’t realize how that subtle detail adds the spark of life until someone photoshops the “red eyes” out leaving a somewhat vacant stare if the photo is viewed closely. And thank you for your service to the animal shelter — those animals who have had the benefit of somewhat putting them in their best light often have such a better chance of adoption.
Many thanks Kat – I agree on your redeye comment. Happily most cameras today have red-eye control which can be very helpful. As for the animals, I think I got more out of it than they did 🙂
These are just fantastic shots and of course I love it that you worked with shelter animals and could catch their expressions. You are an amazing photographer – in my eyes! 🙂
Many thanks Dor – happy your eyes see me as amazing – a heck of a compliment!!
The eyes definitely have it, Tina. Loved your photos and quotes. What a sweet black and white dog. 🙂
Thanks Sylvia, glad you enjoyed this one. The pup was a charmer and I thought quite adorable! He and his new owner were very happy together!
Eyes may be the most important when portraying people (and animals!). Your photos demonstrate this very fine!
Thanks very much Truels!
what a FUN post….really just GREAT shots..will now always be aware of catchlights!! 😜
Thanks April – glad you enjoyed!
Wonderful variety of eyes!! The dog is adorable – love the markings on him/her. Hope this one was adopted!!
He was indeed Nora – I’ve always like the shot because it’s so challenging to capture both black and white well in the full sun. And he was indeed a love.
Pingback: WPC: Eye Spy | Pilot Fish
Love them all! Great shots! and lesson! 😉
Many thanks Juls!
Nice mix of portraits and an excellent opening shot Tina.
Many thanks Andy!
An interesting post. Thank you.
Thanks Cynthia
Quite an eyeful, Tina. 🙂 As usual, a stellar response to the challenge. Lovely portraits!
janet
🙂 Thanks Janet!!
Never underestimate the power of eyes. Powerful!
Agreed Perpetua!
I love a good catch light 🙂
Me too Amy, me too!!!
Fabulous portraits Tina. The first photograph especailly is superb!
Thank you Adrian – it was a very memorable moment for me as the pair were really striking in person.
Marvelous combinations and portraits are engaging.
Thanks very much Sally!
Tina, this is a fabulous post. Your photos and quotes are superb. Now I know about “catch lights” too!
Thanks so much for the lovely comment Patti. Catch lights abound in the holiday season there are so many reflections everywhere to light your subjects!
Tina, I love the father/son photo. There is something about those dark brown eyes that speaks to be – on both of them. So well captured! Thank you for sharing that 🙂
Many thanks Sonia, my pleasure!
These are wonderful! I love the varied shots – different views – “eyes”!
Many thanks ! Appreciate your visit and comment (as always!)
Such fabulous photos, I will look for the catch light in my photos now.
Thanks very much Joan – I’m guessing you’ll find more than you’d have expected!!
This was fun to read tonight! And I learned something new – catchlights! In basic art classes we usually paint in what we call eye highlights – but fun to learn about this in photography….
And I looked at every single picture close up. Some of the clear images caught in the catchlights reminded me of some Escher drawings – and just so interesting – loved the selfie too.
Thanks so much Yvette – now I’ve learned something too, since I’ve never heard of eye highlights 🙂 Have a great week.
🙂 and so funny Tina, but now I keep looking for catchlights in different photos – hope you have a nice week also ❤
these are great. thanks for all the info. the term ‘catchlight’ is new to me, however the concept is one i usually try to include in portraits, especially in portraits of animals. for example, some of my favourite clicks of our resident tiger Timmy, has those catchlights.
and although i believed you that your family portrait had them, i decided to zoom the page and sure enough, lots of catchlights there. you are right – they do add something!
if i had to choose a favourite on this page, it’s the first image of the father and son. so poignant.
enjoyed the quotes you included, too. thanks for sharing this inSIGHTful post 😀
Thanks Kris – for the inSIGHTFul comment!! Glad you enjoyed
Love the shot of the dual coloured dog! 🙂
Many thanks 2Brown!
Your catchlights catch lights like no other… Great post
Thank you as always Miss LInda !
Beautiful interpretation of this week’s challenge. Love the monkey shot and I can certainly see your reflection in his eyes. He looks adorable, as if he is curious as to why you are standing in front of him 😀 It is so kind of you to spend some time at the animal shelter and help out with their fundraisers. I’m sure you took a good number of photos while you were at it 🙂 Eyes, as the cheesy phrase goes, are the windows to the soul. They convey emotion deep from the heart, as I like to think.
Thanks Mabel – I agree with you about the eyes. Hard to hide ones true thoughts when the eyes tell the real story!
I cannot believe I can see you in the monkey’s eyes! Wonderful, to say the least!
LOL, I laughed when I saw it to be sure Svetlana!
I hadn’t heard the term ‘catchlight’ before, but it describes the event perfectly and you have some great examples of it here.
Thanks very much K/E !
Pingback: In the Blink of an Eye. | The Hempstead Man
Such warmth in all those eyes! I struggled also to narrow the focus of this challenge, and I love the way you’ve done it!
Thanks so much Lex, glad you could relate to my challenge!!
Great images Tina, especially the first
Thanks NL, my favorite as well 🙂
Beautiful Tina!
Thanks Nicole!
I always look forward to your posts and your interpretation of the theme. You never fail to impress me Tina. And I have learned something new today, Catchlights. Well I never!
LOL, thanks Jude! A lovely comment and a lesson-learned to boot!
Pingback: WPC: Eye Spy (Sale) | Chris Breebaart Photography / What's (in) the picture?
I always look forward to reading and seeing your take on the weekly photo challenge. I learn from you and about you every time!
Thanks so much for the lovely comment Lindy – I too enjoy seeing the many different takes on the challenges. Amazing how many different approaches there are!
These are all wonderful entries but individual ones call out to you. The first photo depicts the journey of life, the photo of the black and white dog is dramatic, and the wall art shows what the right person can do with some paint. 🙂
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment Judy! Loved your interpretations!
They speak a great language! Beautiful post and quotes, Tina. 🙂
Thanks Amy, appreciate your visit and comment as always!
Lovely portraits Tina . Catchlights together with acial expressions do seem to tell us so much .
I do hope that darling little pup found a home if he was needing one 🙂
oops .. typo Tina ! please can you add an f 😀
Many thanks Poppy – and I knew what you meant!! Happily the pup and his owner were bonding quite nicely by the time I took the shot!
Wonderful
Thanks Rabirius
Great shots, Tina. The man with his son…beautiful, but sad in a way. The good heart in the family..evident. You in the animal’s eyes…hysterical.
Thanks Sharon – yes rather poignant view of life’s journey I think. And that little monkey definitely has his eye on me LOL!
Oh, that little pup has stolen my heart. What a good thing to donate your time and talent to the animal shelter, Tina.
Thanks Lois – he was as sweet as can be and happily adopted!
Your portraits are always stunning. Great interpretation of the challenge, Tina. Before I read your text in the opening photo, I thought to myself this man’s son hasn’t let the world beat him down yet. 🙂
Thanks so much John – great minds do think alike, don’t they?!
Great photos as always. How could Eves’s children be do grown up?!! Time must be passing😱
THey get older yet we stay the same. how does that happen?! Thanks for stopping by Alma! Thought of you this week in the Santa Open – lots of photos in the history video!
Always appreciate those who help our fellow creatures. Yes, their eyes do tell us a story . . . as in “the look.” : )
Thanks PB, I think we get more from them than they do from us, don’t you think?
Lovely demonstration of catchlights, Tina!
Thanks Sue!
What a beautiful post. Each one is touching in its own way.
Thanks so much Jane!
Very nice post, Tina, with some lovely portraits. Nice to see Eve and the kids. FYI- something is not loading on your header…
Thanks Jane – yes, Eve’s kids are definitely growing up. How does time fly by so fast?!