| Red-eye. The family photographer's worst enemy. | | | | the effects of red-eye. One way to do this is to hold |
| How many of your favorite family holiday pictures | | | | your external flash off to the side or, even better, |
| have been ruined by the red eyed monster? | | | | use a standalone flash unit that is hooked to your |
| Red eye is a common problem for almost any | | | | camera. |
| photographer who uses a flash. Luckily, red-eye is | | | | The next thing you want to do is turn the lights on. |
| caused by very predictable circumstances and can be | | | | If your subjects are in a well lit area, their pupils will |
| easily avoided with a little bit of careful preparation. | | | | decrease in size to adjust for the light. This will |
| What Causes Red-Eye? | | | | significantly reduce the chance of having red eye in |
| Essentially red eye is caused by the light reflecting | | | | your picture. Just turning the lights on, will also likely |
| off the inside of the person's pupil and back to the | | | | eliminate the need for using a flash and will get rid of |
| camera. To better understand how this works, you | | | | your chances of having a stack of red-eyed pictures. |
| have to first understand how the pupil of a person's | | | | Whenever possible, just skip using the flash. Natural |
| eye works. The pupil is the part of the eye that | | | | light is more flattering for your subjects in most |
| expands and contracts to let in different amounts of | | | | cases, and not every photograph needs a flash. By |
| light to enter the eye. This helps your eyes to adjust | | | | learning to work with the light you have, you'll not |
| to bright days or low light situations such as taking a | | | | only avoid red eye more often, you'll also make your |
| walk by moonlight. So, when a picture is taken with a | | | | photographs look even better. Flash is a tool to be |
| flash in low light, the pupil can't close fast enough to | | | | used when you need it, but is by no means a |
| block the light, so the flash reflects all the way on | | | | requirement in good photographs. |
| the back of the eye and shoots back at the camera. | | | | Finally, if you absolutely must use the flash, try |
| This is also why you see spots when someone | | | | picking up a digital camera with "red-eye reduction." |
| flashes a camera at you. | | | | These cameras are designed to have the flash go |
| How to Avoid Red-Eye | | | | off multiple times when you hit the shutter button to |
| The easiest way to avoid red eye in the first place is | | | | help minimize the chance of red eye. These |
| to avoid situations where you have to use a flash in | | | | preliminary flashes allow the pupils of your subjects |
| low light. However if you can't avoid it, you can use | | | | to close and will help prevent or minimize red-eye in |
| photo editing software to remove the red eye- it | | | | your photographs. It's worth noting, however, that |
| just takes time to remove it especially if you have a | | | | this feature is in no way foolproof. |
| lot of pictures to do. So, if you want to save | | | | Red-eye is seen by many as a necessary evil of flash |
| yourself some time by using photo editing software, | | | | photography, when in fact it can be avoided in |
| here are some things you can do in order to avoid | | | | almost any lighting situation. With just a little |
| the dreaded red eye. | | | | preparation and an understanding of the causes of |
| First, use an external flash unit that isn't situated | | | | red eye, you can easily avoid this "red eyed |
| directly on the front of your camera. Changing the | | | | monster" and end up with great looking pictures. Just |
| angle of the flash will change the angle of its | | | | stop and think before you shoot and you'll forever |
| reflection, and will often help to reduce or eliminate | | | | get rid red-eye out of your pictures. |