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Category: Flash Photography

Photography Question 

BetterPhoto Member 		 

How to Eliminate Red-Eye?


 
 
I have set the camera on red-eye reduction, but I end up with missed shots, and then when I tilt my sb800, the photo is too dark. What can I do besides fixing it in Photoshop all the time?


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January 16, 2005

 

John Wright 		  Nancy,
You'll have to do one of two things (at least 2 things that came to my mind):
1. Get the flash off the camera. Use a flash bracket (stroboframe); or:
2. Get a lens that won't need as much flash to get the shot.

One other thought: Have you tried to diffuse the flash with one of those that fit over the flash? It might be worth a shot.


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January 16, 2005

 

member 		  nancy,

i have the d70 and the sb800, and the flash comes already w/the plastic diffuser for it - you can also further diffuse by pulling out the attached wide angle diffuser THEN put the plastic diffuser on. I found that really helps alot.

but for red-eye, i'd get a bracket to increase the flash-lens distance.


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January 18, 2005

 

Kelly S. Andrews 		  The other thing that really helped me was having the room much brighter to begin with if possible. My neices have very light eyes and always looked like demon children in Christmas pictures because the lighting was usually low for a festive mood. This year I turned all of the lights in the room on for the photos and I had very little red eye. That is actually what the red eye reduction feature does - it has a pre-flash to get the pupils of the subject to get smaller before the photo is taken. I hate the delay too so I just turn it off.


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January 19, 2005

 

member 		  that 'red-eye reduction' mode is actually just slow sync, plus I shoot in low-lighting all the time, so raising the flash away is what actually helps reduce the red-eye effect.


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January 19, 2005

 

Bill Wassmann 		  There are several options: 1. open up your aperture one or two stops if you are bouncing the light; 2. direct your flash up but attach a piece of white cardboard with a rubber band and tilt it forward. This will direct the light forward but diffuse it; this too will require opening up; 3.get an auxiliary bracket that will get the flash to the side or above the camera; 4. use a faster film and brighter ambient light so your need for flash is diminished.
Bill Wassmann


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January 19, 2005

 
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