Getting Rid of Red-Eye and Saying Bye-Bye to Blurry Shotsby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 31 Jan 2008 02:09 PM If you thought having a green-eyed monster in your family was bad try having a digital camera filled with dozens of red-eyed ones. Those dreaded red-eye shots--dastardly enough to mar pictures of even the cutest child or pet. They are annoying... yet avoidable if you follow these tips: My brother calls them devil eyes (my other brother refers to it as the "Curse of the Cat Eye"), but the red color (and appearance that your subject's eyes are glowing) has nothing to do with Satan at all. Rather, the red color comes from light reflecting off of your subject's retinas. To rid your pics of the red-eye annoyance avoid using your camera's flash. Instead, flood your shooting area with natural light--open curtains and doors, turn on lights or use additional light sources to brighten your scene. Another tip: Have your subject look toward the camera but not directly at the lens before snapping his or her photo. Finally, if your camera is equipped with a red-eye reduction setting--USE IT! Most digital cameras and photo printers allow you to remove red-eye or prevent it altogether. BYE-BYE TO BLURRY SHOTS Nothing triggers me to hit the delete button on my digital camera faster than a blurry shot. After all, why would any photographer save a picture that they can barely make out? Luckily there are ways to add clarity to your digital photographs: Invest in a Tripod. I may sound like a broken record, but in my opinion tripods are invaluable since even the slightest camera movement can lead to a blurry shot. If you don't own a tripod try bracing yourself against a stationary object before pressing the shutter button. Also, some pricier digital cameras come with built-in image stabilization mechanisms that go a long way in helping to achieve a clear photo. Beware of Shutter Lag. If you don't have an elite model (see: expensive) digital camera you likely know all about shutter lag. The aggravating delay between the time you press the button and the time the picture's actually taken is called shutter lag, and it can cause blurry pictures. You can avoid this by pressing the trigger halfway down until you're ready to shoot. Then, when you have your subject just right, press the rest of the way. Activate the "Action" Feature. Most digital cameras come with an "Action" shooting mode for sports or other action shots, which automatically optimizes your shutter speed to help capture motion. Your other option is to manually increase your camera's shutter speed to achieve the same effect. Related Articles: Telling A Story With Your Shots Snapping Frameworthy Shots Of Your Kids More Common Sense Tips To Capturing A Frame-Worthy Picture Common Sense Tips To Capturing Frame-Worthy Pictures Cameras: Knowing When To Upgrade Digital Photography 101: Getting To Know Your Camera Getting Digital Pictures To Friends And Family FAST! Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantphotography tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags blurry shots, camera tips, photo tips, photography, Red-Eye Discuss this article
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