Camerahand Loc: Huntsville, Tennessee

If you are planning to sell a photo of an animal that your
flash has given the red (blue, white, yellow) eye,
what do you do with it? Do you correct the eyes,
or do you leave them alone?

All photographers know that this is a common
"problem", but will the potential buyers realize this?

If you decide to "fix" the eyes, how do you do it?

Thanks for your suggestions.

Burton

Chinaman Loc: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

You can always have the 2 versions to show - one with and one without. Generally, the one without the unatural coloured eye will look better. You can easily change the eye colour to its original colour in a photoeditor. Your camera may come with a software photoeditor which may remove 'red eyes' automatically. Check it out first. If not, you may need to find, download and install a free one. There are quite a few of them - Picassa is simple and popular, and GIMP does much more and so has a higher learning curve. Generally, you open the image in the program, zoom in as close as possible, select a colour and then brush over the unwanted colour of the eyes. I can only tell you exactly how to do it if you are using Photoshop. Otherwise you can google for info and instructions for your particular software. Or post the problem again and ask members to tell you how. Or you may have friends, family members with teenagers who can probably help out. It's a really simple thing to do. Good luck.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

That will work: but here's an even BETTER "plan".........

Understand what causes "red eye" in the first place, then eliminate causing it. (and you won't have to deal with it later.)

Unlike human eye-balls, most animal's eyes are quite different in the way they receive light; all canines, felines, and most reptiles inner eyeball have many more very small "receptors" which are VERY reflective of light rays which are parallel ( or nearly parallel to the optical axis of the lens;
So....a built in flash unit, being only inches above the lens, lights the animal's eyes with light which is almost parallel to what the lens "sees"; use an off-camera flash unit with a "flash bracket" which holds the flash head at least 12 to 18 inches above (or to the side of) the lens, and the light from the flash won't BE reflected back into the lens, and you'll have no more "red-eye".

To better understand what I'm talking about, stand directly in front of a wall mirror, and observe you reflection in the mirror; while still "observing", slowly move sideways a foot or two, while still watching the mirror. Then you'll, see what I mean.

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

It all depends how the picture comes out, sometimes the effect can be quite striking!
Here is my Sammy!

Chinaman Loc: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Gitzo, I agree with your better plan to not get red eyes to start with. That's why cameras these days give out multi mini flashes to close the pupils before the actual flash and shutter release are fired. Works in humans at any rate.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I agree. When I use flash when photographing wildlife/bird i always use a flash bracket to prevent "red-eye"

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

This is all good and well when you have prepared your shoot and all, but what about when you are caught short and what is a good shot "except" for the eyes comes out ! ?

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Then you play in LR and PS

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

Yes!....do share some techniques and secrets ! :)

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Camera, are you talking about cats and dogs, or are you talking wildlife?
I get crap for this every time this comes up.
If you using fill in the day, ok.
If you talking wildlife at night, best not to use flash at all on wildlife. The flash can cause disorientation or damage. If it gets too dark to shot, go hme.
If you must shoot with flash, at least call your local Fish and Game and speak to one of their wildlife biologist about the particular species you plan to flash to be sure it can cause no harm.
I have always been advised not to do it.
Happy and safe shooting for all. SS

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean about being "caught short" ? also...."what is goof shot "except" for the eyes comes out! ????????????? I really don't know how to answer what I can't understand;

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

Sorry, grammar again!

This is all good and well when you have prepared your shoot and all, but what about when you are caught short, and what is a good shot, "except" for the eyes, comes out ! ?

ie: you have no external flash with you, no 18" flash bracket,
and even if you did you wouldn't have time to set up and catch a good looking Buck that just showed up in the headlights, for instance!
Everything comes out good, the image is sharp the vegetation just right, the sunset afterglow looks good, even the Buck's breath condensing looks good, impressive rack and all that.
But then it is a "goof shot", like you say because the eyes are like two flashlights !

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

O.K., I see you've caught a "typo" that I mossed; my apologies about that; I had no intention of typing "goof"; I intended to type "good"; (btw, this isn't an excuse, but I only have 3 "whole" fingers on my right hand, and 2 one inch ling ones; (they have never learned to type very well yet)

As for equipment; in your post, you mentioned having a problem with red eye when shooting animals with flash; many people have that problem; mostly because they have no idea what causes red eye; when you know what causes it, it's easy to prevent it happening; I have no way of knowing what equipment anyone has, (or lacks); but I DO know how to avoid CAUSING red eye; please don't confuse my having passed on this information with my having criticized your picture, (which I had no intention of doing).

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

SharpShooter;

I live in a county in western Indiana which has a huge deer population, quite a large turkey population, squirrels are abundant, and so are rabbits; The County Sheriff is a personal friend, and I also know several of our DNR officers; I'm not familiar with game laws in other jurisdictions, but I can tell you the one way that shining a bright light in any wild animals eyes will get you in trouble in our county is......spotlighting ANY species with a flash light, or a high powered spot light; even if you have no weapon, of have on intention of shooting anything; on the other hand, I would venture a guess that one could find a thousand tree-mounted so-called "game cameras", (all of which have fairly bright electronic flash units), and they are perfectly legal.

You're quite right about not needing a flash unit to photograph deer; I could doubtless walk across the road from my house, put a tree stand against a tree, and I'm sure I could get half a dozen deer photos in a day or two. I actually do have one photograph on Flickr that I DID use a pair of tree-mounted flash units in order to photograph a coyote howling. It wasn't at night, but the light level was quite low due to the trees. I think I'll discuss this with the DNR guy who I see at the post office occasionally; ( I hate to say for sure, when I'm not sure.)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I often found that red-eye removal will not work if the color is not actually red. Then I have to get creative.