Red-Eye in Photography

Red eye in photography is the appearance of red pupils in color photographs. This is a photographic effect that happens when the light from the camera flash reflects off the eyes or retina of people and animals when pictures are taken in a darker environment.

This red eye effect will then leave an unpleasant and unwanted red circle in the center of your subjects eyes; or if your photographing your pet then this would be a different color, green, yellow, or blue and a white effect.

Using the Red-Eye Feature on your Camera:

To help reduce the effects of red eye, many digital cameras today have a red eye reduction feature where the flash is designed to fire twice. The red eye reduction feature on your digital camera can be turned on and turned off as needed.

If the red eye reduction feature is turned on it will first flash a short burst of light or rapidly flashing pulses of light right before you take the picture. This causes the pupil to close and reduces the chances of your subject having the dreaded red eye look. The second flash is the one actually used for taking the picture.

Tips for Reducing Red-Eye:

Compact Point-and-Shoot Cameras:

With most of these smaller compact point and shoot cameras the flash is very close to the lens which means there is a greater chance of red-eye.

So - if you know you will be taking pictures in a darker environment, make sure to go into the cameras menu options and turn on the red eye feature.

Digital SLR Camera with Pop-Up Flash:

If you use a digital SLR camera with just the pop up flash, you will still notice red eye but not as much as using a digital compact point and shoot camera.

With digital SLR cameras the flash is farther away from the lens thus reducing the amount of red eye. Again - when you know you will be taking pictures in a darker environment - turn on the red eye feature - this will help.

Experiment with both of these camera situations by stepping in a little closer to your subject or moving back a little farther and see what the difference in the results are.

Digital SLR Camera with External Flash Unit:

Here you have more options with reducing and eliminating red eye as an external flash unit is farther away from the lens and can typically swivel from side to side and tilt upwards and you have the option of using accessories like a flash bracket.

Bounce the Flash:

If your shooting pictures indoors try bouncing the flash off a light colored wall or ceiling to diffuse the light, this way you avoid hard shadows but be careful as bouncing the flash off the ceiling might create shadows under the eyes or using the wall as a softbox may create too much shadow to one side.

Get creative. Have fun. If you are in a large room and a wall or ceiling just isn't handy and you happen to have additional accessories like a hand held diffuser, a off camera shoe cord, and a flash bracket, try using them - and a friend.

This does require someone to hold the diffuser and your external flash unit to be on a flash bracket. Experiment with distance and positioning of the diffuser and the flash, you might really like the results you can get.

Reflectors and diffusers I would typically use during the day to reflect the natural light from the sky onto a subject or diffuse the light between the sun and the subject - but hey - why not try using them in other ways!

Using a Soft Diffuser:

Using your external flash, you can use a diffuser that fits over the flash. This will spread the light from the flash helping to get rid of harsh lights and hard shadows.

Using a diffuser can reduce the range of your flash so practice and get to know how far away to stand so you can still get a great picture without red eye.

Diffusers are relatively inexpensive; if you don't have one or can't get one by the time you need it, try using some tissue paper - check the tissue periodically as the flash can get hot.

Compact Point and Shoot and Digital SLR:

Another Light Source:

If you are in a room where more lights can be turned on then light 'em up. This will also help to constrict the pupils of your subjects eyes and reduce and possibly eliminate red eye.

If there isn't enough lighting but there is a nearby light source for your subject to look towards, this will help contract the pupil as well reducing the red eye effect.

The More the Merrier:

Take more than one picture. Not so many that your subject starts in with - "Are we done yet?" but enough that after the first picture the pupil has constricted enough to help with reducing red eye.

Don't Look at the Camera:

If all else fails then have your subject look away - not directly into the camera.

Avoid the Flash:

It isn't always possible, but if it is and you're indoors try using the natural light from a window, try this with the diffuser or a reflector as well.

All this being said you can purchase a pen that will reduce the red eye effect. I haven't used one of these but I have seen them used (I don't care for the look) and to me it just doesn't look natural enough.

You can also purchase software like Adobe Photoshop for photo editing or when you purchased your digital camera you should have received a CD with photo software.

When you are learning about photography, it's so much fun to experiment with the tips and techniques given to you, expanding on them and creating some new ones that work for you.

Do the best you can with what you have, don't be disappointed by your efforts. There is after all - tomorrow to try again.