Ask Mike: What’s up with red eyes?
Hey Guys,
Most new cameras have something called “red eye reduction” for flash photos. It’s a feature that keeps folks looking like regular human beings and less like they’ve been possessed by Lucifer. But what causes red eye in the first place? And how do new cameras keep eyes looking normal?
The aptly named “HowStuffWorks.com” explains why people get red eyes in flash photos. The red eyes get their color “from light that reflects off of the retinas.” So, “what you see is the red color from the blood vessels nourishing the eye.” If not for the blood vessels, the light would bounce back as white.
A blog entry from Strange Questions goes into a bit more detail. Apparently red eye is more frequent among people with “light blue eyes, light skin, and light hair.” Additionally, compact cameras are more likely to cause red eye. The smaller the camera, the closer the lens is to the flash. And the closer the lens is to the flash, the more likely you are to get red eyes.
Fortunately, many cameras have “red eye reduction” that helps people look a bit more normal in flash photos. HowStuffWorks.com explains that in order to make this feature work, the camera fires off two flashes. The first flash, which goes off right before the photo is snapped, causes the pupils to contract. That reduces red eye. The second flash goes off when the shutter opens.
There are other ways you can limit red eye. If the flash is detachable, try holding it away from the lens. Another method, according to HowStuffWorks, is to try aiming the flash at the ceiling and rely on reflected light. Thanks to digital cameras, you can always snap another photo if these methods don’t work.
Got any of your tips for taking better photos? By all means, leave a comment below. I just got a new camera and it has more settings than my TV has channels. I could use all the help I can get.
Thanks for reading,
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I never liked camera-flash-based lighting but sometimes, it’s the only way to get a picture when there is no ambient light available.
Film-based cameras could also just keep their shutters open for longer than the regular fraction-of-a-second-shutters to get more light onto the film, although the subject and sometimes the background have to remain completely stationary for the moment the shutter is open.
Thanks for sharing mike….what camera did you got and what should one look for when buying a camera? any tips?
well i generally dont care about red eyes because i have a software called corel draw photo-paint 12. it can remove red eyes and make the photo look like normal
I suspect you mean “two flashes” rather than “too flashes”? (Not that I would normally care about grammar, but this is a relatively big blog+it’s one of the most elementary mistakes).
Aside of that, when is the new yanswers homepage going to be pushed?
i didn’t know that. that pretty nice
Little typo there: you wrote “the camera fires off too flashes,” it should read “two.”
I love to take pictures and one technique that I use is to change the settings on the flash, then have the person in the photo stand the opposite direstion the flash is in if it is a portrait.
I heard somewhere that red eye only occurs with young people, and not with old people.
Another way to reduce red eye is to have the subject look at a strong light source like a light bulb.
Trying to keep the strongest light behind you also helps.
The ‘Red Eye’ reduction feature that uses a “Pre-Flash” to reduce the pupils can also cause ‘squinting’ or blinking causing the subjects eyes to close during the shot – Using the ‘Fill Flash’ or ‘ Slow-Synch’ mode can also help by reducing the flash output and extending the shutter time a bit.
I still prefer the evil explination! …lol!
‘Red Eyes” what does that even mean?!
I always knew what caused red eye but didn’t understand the purpose of the double flash on the new cameras. That explains the incredibly annoying bright “pre-flash” light on my daughter’s new digital. It is irritating due to its strength, which makes you want to look away, but she has NEVER had a shot with red eye yet. It seems to works almost as well in reducing the instances of white/green eye when photographing our cats. Thanks for the info…I won’t complain about that light so much now.
Actually you’re quite wrong about your definition of conspiracy theories. Actually, the media can control what “is” or “isn’t” considered to be truth. Many beliefs folks have on many subjects are simply false. I won’t start with a list, since this would then become a huge post. One only needs read any of the “Censured News” books to know that “truth” is what the media wants you to think is truth. By labeling something as a “conspiracy theory” one most often will automatically dismiss it as wrong. Fact is, the label is used when truth (on whatever the subject is) is being kept from the people.
For example, 9/11 “conspiracy theorists” will say, no evidence a plane hit the Pentagon. Fine. If there is no truth to this ridiculous claim WHY NOT RELEASE ANY OF THE 80 VIDEOTAPES CONFISCATED–WITHIN MINUTES of the so-called airplane strike?
Truth is, in any conspiracy theory, those claiming xyz to be a conspiracy will NOT answer questions. We now know much of the “real story” behind the assassination of JFK, but 47 years ago, such stories were “conspiracy theories”.
You need to brush up on your history and how the media and “conspiracy theories” work. You can start with “Trust Us, We’re Experts.” And as for area 51, we have the same questions about HAARP: why all the secrecy if you’ve got nothing to hide? Sorry, sir, but you’re quite naive and should stop writing like you know what you’re talking about–you don’t.