From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!mhuxj!mhuxv!burl!sb1!ll1!ihldt!ihnp4!gjm Newsgroups: net.rec.photo Title: Re: RE: How to use a flash Article-I.D.: ihnp4.178 Posted: Fri Jan 14 13:43:01 1983 Received: Sun Jan 16 04:14:36 1983 Reply-To: gjm@ihnp4.UUCP (G. J. Murakami) References: ihuxw.276 The strange appearence of people's eyes in many flash photos is typically referred to as "red eye". This condidtion is caused by direct reflection of the flash off of the retina. "Red eye" is most apparent when the flash to subject's eye path is nearly parallel to the path of the reflected light from the subject's eye to the camera lens. So tilting the flash head for bounce as Katie suggests will eliminate the condition, but also cuts down on the effective range of the flash unit (less of the light output from the flash reaches the subject). If you are indoor with good reflecting ceilings and walls, bounce should be an effective measure with even pleasing effects. However, it is ineffective outdoors because of the lack of reflecting surfaces. The standard way to reduce "red eye" is to move the flash source "off center" away from the lense as far as necessary (or possible). This is why some of the pocket 110 cameras supply you with a stalk to mount the flash cube away from the lense. Bracket mounts or flash extensions can also be used, but you must be aware that many flash sensors are attached to the flash head, so moving the unit also means moving the sensor away from the lense (where it is the most accurate). Many flash systems offer "remote sensors" to mount on the camera for off-camera flash. Note that it is the angle that is critical, so close subject usually have less problem with "red eye", while subjects at longer flash ranges require the flash to be farther off-camera to eliminate the condition. Gary Murakami ihnp4!gjm