Studio Portraiture with the Eyelighter

In the Elite Photographic Studio near Detroit, Michigan, Team Westcott goes behind the scenes with renowned photographer Jim Schmelzer to talk studio portraiture with the Eyelighter.

During this shoot, Jim’s studio is setup with the Skylux LED. The Skylux is modified with the Zeppelin 59-inch Deep Parabolic Softbox.

The Skylux is a continuous daylight-balanced light source. Jim is an avid constant light photographer, which gives him the ability to shot both photo and video with the same light sources. To reflect his single light source, Jim places the Eyelighter reflector between his subject and the Zeppelin, with a 45-degree angle between the three.

The Eyelighter is the only curved reflector available on the market, featuring a durable aluminum frame and highly-reflective pebbled surface. The Eyelighter produces a clamshell lighting effect and creates a natural-looking arched catchlight.  To perfect the lighting, Jim recommends placing a 30 inch gap between the light source and the reflector. This gives the Skylux's the ability to fully illuminate the Eyelighter. Then, there needs to be a 30 inch gap between the Eyelighter and your subject, for a superior clamshell reflection and catchlight.