How to Pose People With Glasses: A Photographer’s Guide

Around two-thirds of people wear glasses at least some of the time. As a new photographer, you might find this statistic somewhat alarming, as you’ve probably experienced how hard it is to capture a great shot of someone in glasses without lens glare.

While a subtle reflection in some shots can add an artistic feel, it’s frustrating if it spoils an otherwise perfect portrait.

And don’t let professional brand campaigns for eyewear fool you. They often use frames with no lenses or special non-reflective coatings to get the shot they need.

When your subject turns up in their regular eyeglasses and prefers not to take them off for the shot, the challenge becomes very real.

In this guide, I’ll share some of my favorite poses for subjects wearing glasses to help you overcome this challenge and get the shot you want every time.

But first, let’s get you familiar with the physics behind lens glare and the simple steps you can take to shift or eliminate reflections.

The Physics Behind the Glare

The lenses of glasses are reflective surfaces, meaning they bounce back light that hits them.

If this reflection gets picked up by your camera lens, it causes a glare spot, often called a hotspot. The direction of this reflection depends on the angle of incidence and reflection.

The angle of incidence is the angle at which the light hits the surface, and the angle of reflection is the angle at which it reflects away.

The angle of reflection always equals the angle of incidence. So, if the light hits the surface at 45 degrees, the light will reflect off at 45 degrees​.

While the law of reflection might seem simple enough, it only applies to flat reflective surfaces. Eyeglasses tend to be slightly curved, making the angle at which light reflects a bit more unpredictable.

That means that you can try to set things up by estimating reflection angles using measurements, but there will still be an element of trial and error when positioning lights and your subject to avoid glare.

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How to Eliminate Glare

Now that you know why hotspots happen, what can you do to eliminate them?

There are basically three movable objects in the equation: your light source, your subject, and your camera.

You should try to manipulate the one that makes the most sense in your context. For example, is it a specially lit portrait or an outdoor shot?

Don’t try to manipulate all three at the same time, as you will overcomplicate the shot.

Move Your Light Source

In a controlled lighting environment, your first option is to move your light source.

If the light shines directly onto your subject’s face, the angle of reflection will also be direct, and you’ll almost certainly get a glare or hotspot on the glasses.

This is why a traditional camera flash rarely works well and can produce red-eye effects.

To avoid this, position your light source off to the side, preferably at an angle and distance far enough for the camera to be out of the reflective zone.

When lighting only one side of the face, it’s best to choose broad lighting (illuminating the side of the face closest to the camera) rather than short lighting (illuminating the side farthest from the camera) for the best results.

You can also experiment with raising or lowering your light source, as the angle of reflection works both vertically and horizontally. Therefore, with the right vertical angle, you can push the light reflection above or below your frame.

Professional tip: For a shadow-free shot, light your subject from above and use an umbrella to diffuse the light. Place a curved silver reflector like the Eyelighter 2 in front of the subject.

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Move Your Subject

For minor glare, try having your subject change the angle of their head, thereby adjusting the angle of their glasses relative to the light. Even a slight turn or tilt of the head can change the angle of light reflection and eliminate hotspots.

Instruct your subject to tilt their head up or down by just a few degrees. However, they should avoid tilting too much, as this could cause part of the frame to obscure their eyes.

While this is usually the simplest approach, it can sometimes backfire.

Not all subjects are experienced models who can take direction. Some may overthink things, which may lead to stiff or unnatural poses.

Move Your Camera

Your final option is to adjust your camera’s position. By moving to the side or angling your camera up or down, you can achieve similar results as when adjusting the light or your subject’s position. Just like with the head tilt, small changes can make a big difference.

Using a longer focal length and stepping back often gives you more flexibility in positioning your camera comfortably while minimizing glare.

10 Poses for Subjects Wearing Glasses

If your subject is unsure how to pose for a flattering and interesting shot, suggest one of the following ten poses.

Top tip: Make sure their glasses are clean, as lenses with dirt and dust catch more light, plus you don’t want unseemly smudges.

1. Direct to Camera

While headshots looking directly into the camera aren’t always the most flattering, they can work well with a pair of glasses as they frame the eyes and make them the focal point of the image.

Tell your subject to push their frames up their nose for the best possible framing for the eyes.

2. Down in the Distance

Another simple option is to ask your subject to imagine that there is something sitting on a table about two meters in front of them and to look down at it.

This slight head tilt reduces glare by changing the angle of reflection. It also softens the intensity of a direct gaze, giving the impression of gazing off into the distance.

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3. Look Up

If your subject is seated or you have something to climb on, have them tilt their head back and look up at the camera.

This is a fun pose that gets their face in the forefront and makes it pop out from the background.

4. Upward Angle

If your subject doesn’t want to look directly into the lens, have them tilt their head up and to one side at around a 30-degree angle. This will keep their eyes fully visible without the frames getting in the way.

5. Hand on the Chin

Having your subject put their hand on their chin draws attention to the face, especially if something else is happening in the background.

This attention-grabbing move, combined with glasses that draw attention to the eyes, can have a dramatic effect. The key is to have your subject keep their fingers relaxed and natural in appearance.

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6. Over the Shoulder

Ask your subject to look back over their shoulder at the camera after turning away. For most people, this is a flirtatious and flattering pose.

To prevent the eye from being obscured by the glasses frame, have the subject angle their face less than 45 degrees toward the camera’s perspective.

7. The Head Tilt

Another timeless pose that most people find flattering and that tends to look more natural than a direct-to-camera pose is the head tilt.

Keep in mind that the angle needs to be gentle. Save the extreme tilt for high-end fashion photography.

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8. Lean In

For full-body shots, have your subject lean in slightly, bringing their face closer to the camera than the rest of their body to emphasize it. This pose also gives you a chance to use the body to create some fun angles.

For example, if your subject is seated, ask them to cross their arms and legs, and then lean forward slightly. This posture makes the shoulders seem much wider compared to the head and waist, creating an angular and visually interesting silhouette.

9. The Overlook

For something playful, get your subject to pull their glasses down their nose, dip their chin slightly, and look out over the top of their glasses.

With this one, facial expressions matter and can make the difference between the photo seeming serious or playful.

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10. Touch the Frames

If you deliberately want to draw attention to the glasses, have your subject touch the frames near the corner of the lens, as if they’re about to put their glasses on or take them off.

This pose both looks natural and draws attention to the eyes and the frames.

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Practical Tips and Techniques

If you’re still having trouble getting the shot you want, try some of these tips.

Use Soft, Diffused Light

Strong, direct light sources are more likely to produce harsh, direct glare.

Use soft boxes and umbrellas to diffuse the light or choose natural light sources that are naturally diffused.

Photographing outdoors in the morning or afternoon is often the best choice to avoid glare.

Get in Your Subject’s Head

I’ve already mentioned how adjusting head positioning slightly can make a significant difference when it comes to hotspots. However, unless your subject is a professional model, they may not understand exactly what you want.

Before shooting, take the time to talk to your subject about how glare works and how just a fractional head tilt can fix the issue.

If you still find that they’re adopting unnatural poses, get them talking or moving, and use your camera’s burst (continuous shooting) mode to try and catch the perfect candid moment.

Mind the Reflections of Your Environment

Remember that reflection from eyeglasses may not be the only reflection you need to contend with in your environment.

Windows, lights, and even your own camera lenses can also be the source of hotspots you would rather not have in your finished product.

If you’re getting unwanted reflections, you may need to cover the source for a clearer shot.

Use a Polarizing Filter

Add a circular polarizing filter (CPL) to your camera gear – you’ll find it useful in many shooting situations.

This filter is placed in front of your camera lens to darken skies, manage reflections, and suppress glares from surfaces such as glasses. It works because reflections tend to be, at least partially, linearly polarized.

To achieve the desired effect, you can rotate the filter to change the distribution of light.

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Get the Perfect Shot!

You aren’t the first photographer to feel a twinge of frustration when a subject walks in wearing a pair of glasses, as their reflective surface can make getting a great shot tricky.

Of course, you can ask your subject to remove their glasses, but for people who wear glasses full-time or consider glasses part of their overall aesthetic, this might not be an option. Therefore, you need strategies to deflect the reflection and get the shot.

Making sure your subject’s glasses are properly cleaned is a good place to start, as dusty glasses reflect more light than clean ones.

Then, through a process of trial and error, ensure that the light reflecting off their lenses is not hitting your camera. You can experiment by moving your light source, your subject, or your camera.

If you still can’t get the shot you want, try adding a polarizing filter to your gear.

Of course, you’ll want your subject to strike a great pose, and the glasses can actually give them something to play with. For subjects who don’t know how to pose, glasses can end up being a useful prop.