Avoid Red Eye |
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Simple methods, effective results... |
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Do You Really Need a Flash? The flash on your camera is what causes red eye, so the simplest way to eliminate it is to take away the flash! Now obviously some pictures will need the flash, so I'm not suggesting that you never use it. Be aware however, that sometimes there are better solutions. Indoor pictures commonly use flashes. Why not consider turning on room lighting, or grabbing an extra table lamp, to give that extra light you need. Natural light is mostly preferable, so placing a subject by a window or door can also achieve this. Outdoor pictures use flashes less commonly, but it can still be useful to bring out detail in shadowy parts of an image. Just remember to think about the range of your flash if you are using one outside. The main thing to remember is that even if there's no need for a flash, people sometimes use one 'just because they can'. Avoid needless flashes, and problems like red eye can be minimised. Flash Position and Direction Assuming you do require a flash for a photo, think about where that flash is. Many modern digital cameras have the flash right next to the lens. This means that when the photo is taken, and the light from the flash bounces right back towards the flash, it shows up in the lens. If the flash can be distanced from the camera, then this will greatly minimise the effect of red eye. One way to remove the flash from the lens is to use external flashes. These don't have to be too expensive, and can be a great asset if you take a lot of portrait photos. If the flash direction on your camera is adjustable, then why not try reflectors. These can be specially assigned screens if you are in a wide space or outdoors, but if you're indoors why not try bouncing a flash off the ceiling? The best way is to experiment a little, and see what differences you can make by removing that direct reflection of the flash into the camera lens. Red Eye Reduction Some cameras which do have the flash close to the lens also contain a red eye reduction feature. This feature causes the camera to emit two large flashes, one as the picture is taken and one just before. Some cameras even produce a series of minor flashes before the main flash. These 'pre-flashes' cause the subject's pupils to contract, which reduces the light which can travel through the pupil, to be reflected back into the camera. Even turning up room lights can reduce red eye, as in a brighter room the person's pupils will contract. The Bottom Line It may not always be possible to eliminate red eye, especially in particularly stylised pictures, or those with very specific lighting requirements. Most of the time however, the effect can be eliminated, or at least reduced. |
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Kind Regards
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A page about Avoiding Red Eye
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