Can't believe I'm asking this question but.....

AnimalRights

Was at a Pub gig last night and was using the cam flash and I have red eyes on about 10% of the pics!!!
Is there a way of getting rid of it and even better still not getting it in the 1st place?

Paulw

Yes and yes.

Quickest way - select the eye (close up), and then reduce the red channel colour.

For stopping it in the first place, don't flash directly in to the eyes. Bounce your flash.

AnimalRights

Can you bounce the built in flash though?
and my app proggie that came with the 450D only has a red eye reduction mode? Which is useless tbh.

Paulw

For the built in flash, cover it with some tissue or something. That will defuse the flash and should reduce red-eye.

Some red-eye software is good and some isn't.

I do it in Lightroom or Photoshop.

AnimalRights

Thanks again Paul.....
This lass had the right idea I guess.
I asked her afterwards about the paper on top of the external flash, feck if I can remember what she told me though.

mike65

I presume its a defuser.

Mike.

deRanged

if that's a 580EX II, there's a built-in diffuser and catchlight reflector thing - that's the white card. when you're bouncing the flash off the ceiling you pull them both up out of the housing, and the diffuser falls down and the card stands up.

two hastily taken shots to illustrate:

Paulw

The Canon Speedlights have a diffuser on them which helps.

I gather she's using the 580EX which has that diffuser on it anyway.

AnimalRights

I also found out how to do the red eye reduction the way you said!
Very good it is too.

DotOrg

AnimalRights wrote: »

that is the built in 'catch light' on canon flashes

in that position, the flash bounces most of the light off the ceiling, plus it sends a small flash directly forward which gives a small white square in the subjects eyes, wwhich often makes photos look a lot more alive