Glasses and Glare in Photography: How to Get Great Results

Why Glasses Cause Problems in Portraits

Glasses create three potential issues for portrait photography: glare from reflected light sources landing on lenses, distortion of the eyes caused by lens optical power, and the frame creating a visual barrier between the viewer and the subject's eyes. All three are manageable with the right approach, and millions of beautiful portraits are made with spectacle-wearing subjects every day. But they require specific attention that not all photographers give automatically.

Glare: What Causes It and How to Prevent It

Glare appears when a light source — sun, window, studio light, photographer's flash — reflects off the lens surface at an angle that points toward the camera. Anti-reflective coatings reduce but don't eliminate this. The most reliable solution is angle: if you tilt your glasses very slightly — usually chin down and forward — the angle of reflection shifts away from the lens. A few degrees of adjustment makes a dramatic difference to glare visible in the lens.

For studio photography, the lighting position matters enormously. Lights placed at the same horizontal height as the camera are most likely to produce glare; lights positioned above and to the side of the subject typically direct reflections away from the lens and toward the floor or wall behind the camera. An experienced photographer with studio lights adjusts for glasses-wearing subjects as standard.

Shooting Outdoors

Overcast days are ideal for glasses-wearing subjects outdoors — diffused light produces no distinct reflection points that can land on spectacle lenses. Direct sun requires more careful positioning: shooting with the sun behind and to the side of the subject (backlight) keeps the most intense reflections pointed away from the camera. Open shade is the simplest reliable solution: soft, diffused, and free of direct-sun lens reflection issues.

Should You Remove Your Glasses?

This is a personal decision and there's no right answer. Glasses are part of your face and how people know you — removing them for a portrait session produces images that some people feel are "not quite them." If you wear glasses every day and feel most yourself wearing them, wear them for most of the session and adjust for glare as needed. Many photographers suggest doing a few shots with and without so you have both options in the gallery.

One practical option for those concerned about glare: bring your glasses without lenses (or with lenses removed) to the session, or use a pair of frames with plain glass. The look is identical to prescription glasses but without any optical distortion or glare concerns.