So, grasshopper, you seek (mystical voice) the WAY of the EYES? Well READ ON, 'cause here it is - all our Eye Wisdom, distilled into a few paragraphs! TBH, all our Wisdom could be distilled into the following sentence: "Put Eyes on things, take photos, be safe, have fun!". But if you're after some tips, tricks and links, keep reading!

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First, some SAFETY STUFF. Eyes should ALWAYS be kept out of reach of children as, like all small objects, they can be a choking risk.

Likewise, when working with food, it's important you know where your Eyes are AT ALL TIMES, especially when there are little kids about. You do NOT want anyone accidentally eating or inhaling one of your Eyes, so TAKE CARE. As soon as you have taken your picture, remove the Eyes. It's a good idea to wash 'em, too. This goes after all sessions. If you're sticking your Eyes into something gross, like a rotten tomato (excellent!) you don't want to later stick that same Eye, unwashed, into a delicious donut you plan to scoff after your photoshoot!

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The Eyes you use are important. Quality equipment can be tricky to get these days. GOOGLY EYES are everywhere, and easy to find, but here at THINGS WITH EYES we prefer the solid kind, generally called 'safety eyes'.

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Why?

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Because although we LOVE the recent googly eye street art trend, our environmentally friendly mission here at THINGS WITH EYES has always been to position our Eyes, take the shot, and move on, taking our Eyes with us. That way, we leave no trace that we have ever been there - and no plastic pollution - a must when shooting in the wild and natural places we love so much! Also, every one of our Eyes can be reused SO MANY TIMES!

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OK - back to the Eyes we know and love - safety eyes! You can find 'em in craft shops and online (we buy from www.glasseyesonline.com) or in our Kits. Safety eyes come with a 'stalk' that allows you to position your eye and lodge it in, say, a pie, or a pile of moss. It's true that sometimes the stalk can be a pain, but without it, your Eye will often slide straight off your Thing. To see an example of safety eyes, scroll up to the picture of our THINGS WITH EYES bag of Eyes at the top of this page!

 

Having a variety of sizes and colours is a good idea (although a single pair will get you a hundred great shots)! As you browse the galleries, you'll see that mixing colour and size can add to the comic effect! You can also give a flat Thing more depth by using a smaller size for the Eye that would be furthest away. Have a look at the seaweedy Things in the Things With Eyes gallery for examples!

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When shooting Things With Eyes, you may use any format you like! But if you'd like us to consider your pics for inclusion in the Community Gallery, 'Friends With Eyes' (and we hope you do!) please use square photo format!

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Finally, take care of your Eyes! It's easy to lose them to an unexpected wave when shooting Things on the beach, or drop one into a pile of mulch in the garden. It's a giant bummer to lose your favourite Eyes - trust us! 

Our original Eyes (or what's left of them) are scratched and dull now, but we still love them! After all, we've been a long way together!

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So now you are initiated into (mystical voice) the WAY of the EYES! Go forth! And give something eyes!