When I get my picture taken the flash makes me close my eyes and I always end up looking stoned in the picture. What can I do?
2006-11-01 17:27:27 · 11 answers · asked by Hipster Doofus 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
You can simply stare at a flashlight or any intense light for that matter for a few seconds which should cause your iris to get smaller and thus be less sensitive to light, this will also prevent red-eye if the flash they are using is on-axis lighting. Of course when I say any intense light I don't mean stare at the sun, or a 10,000,000 candlepower search light.
2006-11-01 17:55:14 · answer #1 · answered by wackywallwalker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's calling flinching.
It also can happen to people who practice shooting or do a lot of target shooting without proper ear protection.
In general, as with photography, when the shot is fired is the worse time to close your eyes (and/or jerk).
You know something coming that you (or your body) doesn't like,
so you anticipate it. It's a learned reaction. It can be hard to unlearn.
I don't know if counting backwards or opening your eyes at the last second would help or not. It doesn't take much time to blink.
The pre-flash to prevent redeye certainly doesn't help matters - it only confirms your correct decision to blink - and should be turned off if possible.
I don't think that you can unlearn it by more exposure, but you should figure out what makes you blink.
If you could have a video camera taping you (and the photographer) when the photograph is taken - that might reveal what you're cuing off of when you blink.
Actually, I'd shoot a whole bunch of you - either with a digital camera or an unloaded film camera.
Looking up, left, right, down, and away might help - but you might have to not be able to see the camera at all.
The best thing to do is misdirect you. Have the photographer count down to 1, but take the picture at 2. But he'll have to know to do that because he knows you or someone else clues him it, because otherwise, you will blink at two.
If the camera had good old mechanical timer - that might help. The photographer could use that to start the shot, and you won't know when it's going to go off - because even the photographer doesn't know exactly when it's going to go off.
With today's blinking and flashing and beeping self-timers - that could be hard to do...
If you had a sufficiently fast camera, a burst of 5 frames or so might catch one where you're not blinking.
Another trick you can try is varying the count down. For example:
"3"
"2.1"
"1.6"
"one and six-eighths".
FLASH!
"ONE"
Hopefully the math will keep your mind occupied so that you can't time when "ONE" will be.
2006-11-02 01:12:32 · answer #2 · answered by Jon W 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The flash probably goes off and the picture is actually taken before your eyes can blink. Flash duration is probably close to a mili-second. What you're prbably suffering from is the pre-flash or red-eye reduction flashes. Some cameras permit the disabling of the pre-flash which might help but red-eye might increase. If you have your picture taken in a brighter room or focus on a light behind a photographer it might minimize red-eye
Some tips from other sufferers below:
2006-11-02 00:37:55 · answer #3 · answered by Bob 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you cannot have the flash turned off, try averting your eyes away from the camera a bit,...or face someone else. The idea of closing your eye first and having the photog count to three is good. Some camera use red eye reduction...a flickering flash before the main flash, to get the iris to contract. Maybe they doesnt help you. Wear sunglasses.
2006-11-01 20:17:53 · answer #4 · answered by Victor 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do photography and I haven't found the one right answer for everyone. Try to close your eyes, the photographer counts to 3 and you open your eyes while they take the picture. It's worked for some. If the picture can be taken without the flash, that's best. If you're doing digital, rapidly take two.
Hope one of these works.
2006-11-01 17:35:52 · answer #5 · answered by cooliodudette 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Try to look at the lense of the camera or a lil' farther from where the flash would comes out.
2006-11-01 17:43:31 · answer #6 · answered by james ian h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not fix your eyes on the lens. Shift to the top portion of the camera or the photographer's hat or any object of that height.This trick may help.
2006-11-01 20:12:43 · answer #7 · answered by ravindran_kc.alhadhrami 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look at the top of the camera...that usually helps me! = D
PeaCe*
2006-11-01 17:49:17 · answer #8 · answered by one 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't put the flash or try to resist just for a second.
you'll get used to it.
2006-11-01 17:42:28 · answer #9 · answered by fakemoonlandings 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ask the photographer to tell you when he is going to click so you concentrate and dont blink. but don't stare at the same time, your photo will look scary then LOL
2006-11-01 22:10:16 · answer #10 · answered by Shaimaa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋