Spiritual Photo Tip 10: Eye Contact

This isn’t true of everywhere in the world, but where I live, eye contact is highly valued.  It establishes connection, trust, honesty, attention and care.

Growing up as a shy introvert, this was tough for me. It’s ironic that years later, it became part of the skills I taught in my English as a Second Language / Foreign Language classes. That along with firm handshakes.

No matter if you’re taking selfies or creating portraits, eye contact (and expression as a whole) is important.

It doesn’t mean that a subject looking away isn’t equally powerful. It’s just different, as shown in these 3 portraits of me by the Czech photographer Christine Radnich.

What’s important IF you’re doing an eye-contact shot is that you tell your subject where to look (the lens and not the screen on a smart phone.

By the way, the best location to take a portrait is in the shade to avoid harsh shadows under the eye and nose. That also reduces the chances of squinting.

If the sun is behind them, force your flash to fill-in the face with light or tap on the person on the screen of your smart phone to tell your camera where to focus.

If the sun is in their face, have them look down and count them in to lift/open their eyes. 

For animals, it isn’t as easy (although they’re definitely less critical of the results).

Make a high pitch squeal and have your camera ready at your mouth/ eye level to have them look in the lens.

If you’re in an environment where that would be disturbing to the animal or others, talk to them telepathically. Trust me, they understand if you communicate with pictures in your mind. I recently had a crow jump from a bush to the top of a pole after I politely asked it to do so. But when I asked it to turn around for a better composition, it thought I was exaggerating and flew away.

What you’re trying to get is that catchlight in their eyes – that little white dot that adds life to an image. Again, forcing your flash even in daytime might achieve that if there’s no natural catchlight.

It also establishes a connection between the person looking at the picture and God’s creature – something that is so often sought out by humans as with the cat, dogs, or squirrel in these photos…. or dreaded, like with the giant fruit bat hanging outside a restaurant in Bali.

Eye contact is not essential for a great person or animal portrait, of course, but it is powerful.

As you can see with the bluejays, eye contact between subjects is great too.

This week, pay particular attention to both your eye contact with others and the eye contact between those around you – in real life or in the movies.

The eyes express so much. Are you sensing a smile through those eyes or anger, threat, concern, etc.

Play with both people and animal portraiture. Discover the truth & beauty in those eyes. See if you can’t pierce through the shyness or awkwardness to seeing through the eyes of your soul into the eyes of theirs.

And if you’re feeling particularly open or brave, here’s a great trust exercise. Sit with a willing stranger or friend and breathe into relaxation. Simply gaze into each others’ eyes until the facial features become a blur and you’re connected on an energetic, heart to heart, soul to soul level.

I’ve done this several times in spiritual and theatre workshops. It’s powerful!