How to stop model from squinting

[clyde villegas]

I want my model to face 45 degrees off my camera. But at 45 degrees of my camera, I have lights on both sides: the fill and key lights. So, whether she face 45 degrees to the right or left of the camera, she'll squint because she's almost looking directly at either of the lights. How will I position my lights to have the same effect (placing of shadows, etc.) so that my model is not looking at the lights directly and still face 45 degrees off the camera? Thanks and God bless.

[Bob Hayes]

Try placing a 4'x4' black flag in here eye line and have her focus on it. You can also ahve her stare at a light with her eyes lightly closed then have her open them after you roll. Try knocking you intensity down a bit.

[Michael Nash]

Soft lighting is generally easier on the eyes than hard light, for the same incident light level. The larger the source, the easier it is for the person's eyes to get used to.

[Guest Evan Pierre]

If you need to have your hard light you might think about experimenting with some dots and fingers to just cover the models eyes. That is assuming she stays perfectly still though.

[robert duke]

Once you are lit turn off the lights. once the model is in place slowly begin turning on the lights using dimmers. distract the model with small talk. once the lights get up to full she should be adjusted to them. the key is slow and steady. this doesnt always work, but can be a useful trick in sticky situations.

[Rupe Whiteman]

A big-bounced and hence soft-source would do the job. Using smaller spotted sources against a darker background is more likely to induce a squint...

[Chris Keth]

Once you are lit turn off the lights. once the model is in place slowly begin turning on the lights using dimmers. distract the model with small talk. once the lights get up to full she should be adjusted to them. the key is slow and steady. this doesnt always work, but can be a useful trick in sticky situations.

 

Nice one, I'll have to remember that.

[Kiarash Sadigh]

A big-bounced and hence soft-source would do the job. Using smaller spotted sources against a darker background is more likely to induce a squint...

 

I learned this leason doing bunch of interview set ups where I had only the interviewee on camera, naturally i wouldn't go about lighting the interviewer as he/she wasn't on camera...but after a while I noticed that having the interviewer sitting in the dark will cause the on-camera person to squint....the key is to light your camera area a little more and diminish your contrast in the studio or on the set...in such situations your model's natural reaction is to iris down ...the other advantage of this? the tighter the iris the more you see the true colours of their eyes as oppose to seeing a black hole in the middle...

good luck!

[clyde villegas]

Thanks guys! Those are very very helpful tips.

[Guest Crispy]

Light up the wall the subject will be looking at without the light bouncing back onto the subject. Usually people squint when they look towards a bright source and dark background. If you bring up the light on the background it should help your subject.