Easy Solutions to Avoid or
Reduce Red-Eye
By: Wes Waddell
 Red-eye
is the biggest problem flash photographers face with
both digital and film cameras.
The good news is that there are a few easy tricks
that can significantly and sometimes even completely
reduce the effects of red-eye. Here's a few of the
simple tricks that I've discovered that make my
pictures worth mounting on the wall.
What is red-eye?
The simplest explanation I've come across is that
red-eye is the reflection of light, in our case the
flash, through the open retina of the eye. We've all
seen it's effects in the glowing red eyes of
animals, kids and adults that have been captured on
film using flash photography.
So, if we know it happens... what do we do to
limit it's effect or, if possible, make it go away?
The pro's use long brackets and remote controlled
flash units to angle the light away from the camera
lens. If you have the money, this is by far the best
and most reliable way to reduce the problem. Trouble
is, most of us (myself included) don't have the
resources or space to carry around this type of
equipment. I like that my latest digital camera fits
in my shirt or jacket pocket. That way I always have
it with me if a special shot presents itself.
How can you easily limit or prevent red-eye
effects with a pocket or instant camera?
Easy tip #1: Many of today's mid to upper price
instamatic cameras come with a built in red-eye
reduction mode. If you know you are going to be
photographing animals or people with the flash, even
in daylight, then turn on this flash mode. Of course
this is where you must have actually read the camera
manual so that you know how to turn it on. After
all, you can't use it if you don't 1, know it exists
and 2, know how to use it.
It amazed me the different modes and functions
built into my latest camera. But, that's a whole
other subject. Bottom line, at least read your
manual once to see what capabilities you are
carrying with you with just the camera itself.
How the red-eye reduction mode works:
Again, I'll keep it as simple as possible. After
all, we don't need to know all the scientific
details, we just need to know how to use it
correctly.
The red-eye reduction mode (and that's all it
does is make it less) either shines a bright light
on the subject or it sets off a small pre-flash
ahead of the main one. What this does is to make the
person or animal close down the iris in the eye so
that less light will be reflected back into the
camera lens through the smaller hole.
Not perfect, but much better than glowing red
eyes!
But, what if our camera doesn't have this option
or if we don't have the time or knowledge to turn it
on?
Easy tip #2: When in control of the situation,
use that control. What I mean is that if you have
the capability to pose and move the subject(s), then
use that control to reduce the effects of red-eye.
Since we know that red-eye is caused by light
reflecting back into the camera lens, have your
subjects look at a point away from the camera, maybe
a picture off to the side on the wall behind you or
at another person. The key here is that the larger
the angle away from the lens, the less the possible
effect of the red-eye.
I've found that a spot maybe two feet off to one
side does a good job most of the time of eliminating
the red-eye while still creating a photo that looks
as though the subject(s) are still looking into the
lens. Depending on how close you are and how bright
your flash, you may need to experiment some to find
your optimal point.
What if you don't have control or you are
taking candid shots?
Easy tip #3: The good news here is that candid
shots usually mean that the activity is the primary
subject, not the individual. In other words, you are
not trying to make a portrait of the individual; you
are attempting to capture the emotion of the moment
in time. To do that, just compose (frame) the
picture so that the people or animals are only a
part of the event and looking at what is happening
instead of into the lens.
For example, if the event was a wedding, snap the
photo with the bride and groom looking at each other
or the cake. Or, if it was a party, frame the person
making the toast so that they are off to one side,
looking towards those that are being toasted. One
last example. If this was your family reunion,
capture the small groups that always form and snap
the picture while they are looking at each other
telling and listening to the stories of the past. If
you can hear the joke being told, wait to snap the
camera shutter after the punch line comes out and
capture the smiles and laughter.
Easy tip #4: The amount of red-eye is in direct
proportion to the amount of light being reflected
back to the camera lens. Use the telephoto lens and
distance to reduce the amount of direct light coming
back into the lens. Just be careful not to exceed
the maximum distance that the flash is capable of
compensating for. Most built in flash units have a
limit of between 10 and 16 feet. Areas behind the
subject will also fade into darkness fast, but when
the background is not important, this can make for
some very dramatic photo's.
What if none of this works for you?
If you are taking digital images, the good news
is that there are a lot of software programs out
there that will edit out the red-eye effects for
you. If you are taking photographs with a film
camera, then you will need to either scan the image
into the digital realm or you will have to pay to
have the photo's retouched. Bottom line is that it
can in most cases be fixed. The real question is,
how much are you willing to pay to have it removed?
Final notes:
Plan ahead, practice and learn all the
capabilities that come with today's point and shoot
cameras. Your photographs will show the effort.
About the Author
Wes Waddell is the co-founder of
http://www.PrincessCrafts.com. Visit his digital
scrapbook site and find out how anyone with little
or no experience can literally, overnight, go from
beginner to intermediate computer scrapbooker.
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