Ever since I started wearing glasses daily a year and a half ago, I became much more conscious of how glasses photograph. The first pair of glasses I purchased had regular old lenses, which meant that they reflected everything around them – and the reflection was especially noticeable in photos (and made it so hard to drive at night!!). Glare on glasses has the ability to block the eyes (aka the windows to the soul ;) ), and when you’re getting your portrait taken… having clear, in focus eyes are definitely one of the most important pieces to the overall photo!
So, when it comes to your senior, engagement, wedding, and family photos, it’s important to be prepared in advance so the glare on your glasses can be reduced!
WHAT CAUSES GLARE ON GLASSES?
The reflection (or glare) that often happens on lenses comes from the light that’s being used to light the subject reflecting off of the lens. It may come from the sun, or a reflective building or sidewalk, or from an artificial reflector (i.e., a big shiny circle disc used to “bounce” light back onto a person’s face!).
Personally, I always use a reflector during my portraits sessions (and sometimes during my engagement sessions and weddings, too!) because it helps 1) light the eyes, 2) make the skin extra creamy, and 3), further illuminate my subject, causing them to “pop” a bit more off of the background. Because of this, I like to try and let my clients know ahead of time what their options are when it comes to reducing the glare on their lenses so that I can use my reflector to achieve the style that my clients have come to know, love, and expect!
If you wear glasses and are hoping to reduce lens glare, below are a few of my top tips and tricks!
WAYS TO AVOID THE GLARE
1. Opt for non-reflective lenses
If you want to wear glasses in your photos, one of the best things you can do happens when you buy your new frames: opt for non-reflective lenses. Non-reflective lenses greatly diminish the amount of glare in your glasses that can be caught on camera on a bright, sunny day!
2. Pop out the glass of an old pair of frames
If you have an old pair of frames that you still love and want that glasses-look in your photos, consider popping out a pair of lenses on some old frames. That way, you’ll be able to have the look without the reflection!
3. Ask your frames provider to borrow a sample pair
This tip came straight from some very smart clients of mine! I once had a groom who wanted to wear his glasses for his wedding photos, but realized that he did not have non-reflective lenses – so he went to the store where he bought his frames and asked if he could borrow a sample pair of glasses for his wedding day (did you know that most sample frames have non-reflective lenses?). They let him, and the photos turned out amazing! Whether you’re having engagement, wedding, senior, or family photos taken, this is a great option if you want the look of your own frames in your photos without a reflection!
4. Wear contacts
My very last tip that you might want to consider: completely removing your glasses. If glasses aren’t that important to you, opt for wearing contacts instead, or simply take your glasses off!
That’s it for now, friends! If you’d like to hear some additional tips on what to wear for your photo session, feel free to leave a comment below!
