Red eye is no doubt one of the family photographer's most annoying problems. How many of your holiday photographs have been ruined by the red-eyed monster?

Red-eye is a common problem for photographers that use a flash, so don't stress if your photographs seem to be full of glowing red bulbs. Thankfully this red eye problem is easy to predict and can be prevented with just a little bit of preparation.

What Causes Red-Eye?

Red eye is simply a reflection that takes place when light reflects off the inside of the pupil. To better understand how this works, you have to first understand how the pupil of a person's eye works. The pupil is the part of the eyeball that expands and contracts to let light enter the eye. This helps your eyes to adjust to bright days or low light situations such as taking a walk by moonlight. When you take a photo in low light with a flash, the pupil is unable to close fast enough to block the light so the flash reflects off the back of the pupil and hits the camera. This is also the cause of why you see spots when someone flashes a bright light at you.

How to Avoid Red-Eye

The simple solution to red-eye is to avoid the situation in the first place. However if you can't avoid it, you can use photo editing software to remove the red eye- it just takes time to remove it especially if you have a lot of pictures to do. Here is how you can help avoid the dreaded red eye in your next picture.

First, use an external flash unit that isn't situated directly on the front of your camera. By just changing the angle of your flash it will change the reflection and often get rid of red eye or at least reduce it. You can accomplish this by holding an external flash off to the side, or by using a standalone unit hooked to your camera.

Second, turn the lights on! If your subjects are in an area that's well lit, then their pupils will be able to adjust to the light. This will significantly reduce the chance of having red eye in your picture. Just turning the lights on, will also likely eliminate the need for using a flash and will get rid of your chances of having a stack of red-eyed pictures.

So, whenever you can always try to avoid using your flash. Natural light is more flattering for your subjects in most cases, and not every photograph needs a flash. If you can learn how to work with the light you have, you'll not only avoid red eyes but you'll also make your pictures look even better. Remember to only use your flash as a last resort.

Finally, if you absolutely must use the flash, try picking up a digital camera with "red-eye reduction." These cameras are designed to have the flash go off multiple times when you hit the shutter button to help minimize the chance of red eye. These preliminary flashes will give your subject's pupils time to close and will help minimize the red eye. It's worth noting, however, that this feature is in no way foolproof.

Red-eye is seen by many as a necessary evil of flash photography, when in fact it can be avoided in almost any lighting situation. With the right preparation and an understanding of how light impacts your images, you can safely avoid red-eye and all of the issues it can cause. If you take time to think before you shoot, you'll find that red eye will soon be a concern of the past.