Model blinking due to flash

[Primoz]

Yesterday I did a portrait session outdoor with a friend using off-camera flash through umbrella and in the beginning we had a little problem, that in all images she had slightly closed eyes. I anticipated the natural blinks and avoided them, so that surely wasn't the issue, but as we discussed it, she said that she always automatically blinked as the flash went off.
I tried to solve the problem with flash in "red-eye-mode" (preflashes) in the beginning, but then the problem luckily quite quickly went away and we could shoot with normal flash. I guess she got used to it =P
Is it even possible for the flash to be the reason for eye-blinking?? The flash duration is about 1/20 000s and that's way shorter than human reflections... Just wondering...?

Have you ever had a similar expirience? What would you do?

 

[jaicatalano]

Yes that happens. What I do sometimes is say I am going to count to 3 and shoot on 2. I sometimes shoot after they blink from a back to back shot. If that doesn't work tape the eye lides open and photoshop the tape out.

 

[480sparky39 38]

Many times, subjects anticipate the flash. Either they're keying in on your shutter finger, or hearing the AF beep.

When I shoot candids, I turn off the AF audible beep.

 

[cgipson1]

Are you using TTL? If so, there is a pre-flash that is used to measure the flash exposure! Some people are sensitive to this (as are a lot of animals). You can often assign your FN button to do the Preflash / Flash lock.. and then when you shoot, there is no preflash to make them squint or blink. As long as distance and ambient light stay the same... it stays accurate, and there won't be other pre-flashes. Unless you hit the FN / flash lock button again to take a new reading.

Manual flash is better.. much more accurate, with no preflash either. Highly recommended!

Hope that helps!

 

[Primoz]

You might be right cgipson1! =) For the first couple of shots I usually use TTL... you know: to see what's up with the light =P And that's when the problem occured...
Then I switched to manual flash for more control... And now that I think about it... swithching to manual flash might have been the reason that the problem was gone... =)

 

[cgipson1]

You might be right cgipson1! =) For the first couple of shots I usually use TTL... you know: to see what's up with the light =P And that's when the problem occured...
Then I switched to manual flash for more control... And now that I think about it... swithching to manual flash might have been the reason that the problem was gone... =)

Understood! I shoot a lot of cats... and they always blink with the pre-flash. Children often do to! Good.... sounds like that problem is resolved! Any suggestions on World Peace?? ... that one still needs some work!

 

[gsgary]

Tell them to shut their eyes, then just before shooting say open and fire

 

[JakePhoto]

tape the eye lides open and photoshop the tape out.

This.

 

[ceejtank]

Solution: Only shoot blind models.

I think my work here is done....:hail:. :king:

 

[ghache]

last model i shot with my ring flash, she probably saw blue spots for at least 2 days after the shoot hahahah

 

[Garbz]

TTL would be the culprit. Wireless TTL would be worse. Wireless multi-group TTL is even worse again.

I have yet to meet a living thing which is capable of blinking when you shoot in manual. Seeing how you know... the shutter is open and recording before the flash fires in manual

 

[2WheelPhoto]

usually only time this happens to me is when I'm shooting the model and trying to capture an ambient sunset or such with a slower shutter with slight fill light.