Nights out, parties and flash

Archive note: this address was an individual episode page of the Look Good in Pictures web series (2008–2009). The original episode is not hosted here, and the sources we could open do not say which topic episode 49 covered. Nikon’s launch release listed nights out among the series’ everyday settings and said its first episodes covered using the flash. This site is independent and not affiliated with Nikon or Carson Kressley.

Why direct flash is unflattering

Nikon’s “Take Better Portraits” guide advises avoiding direct flash, which casts harsh shadows onto the background, and recommends bouncing the flash off a ceiling for soft, even light. Nikon’s Speedlight bounce tutorial explains the principle: aiming the flash at a nearby wall turns that wall into a large light source, and light from a larger source wraps more gently around a face than a small flash pointed straight at it.

If you’re the one being photographed, you can’t move the photographer’s flash — but you can move yourself:

• Stand a step away from walls. A shadow cast onto the wall right behind you is the classic hard-flash outline.
• Stand near the room’s brightest lamps. More ambient light makes the flash do less of the work. Nikon’s Quick Tips guide suggests turning on room lights to add ambient light.
• Ask a phone photographer to skip the flash. Google’s Pixel portrait tips suggest lighting a subject at night from the side with another phone’s flashlight rather than the phone’s own LED flash.

Red-eye: what causes it and how to stop it

Red-eye happens when flash light enters the eye and reflects off the back of it; the red color comes mainly from the blood-rich choroid behind the retina. It is most common in low light, when pupils are wide, and when the flash sits close to the lens — as built-in flashes do.

All of these come from the Wikipedia article on the red-eye effect, which also notes a health point worth knowing: in children, an unusual reflex color in a flash photo — white, yellow or asymmetric — can be a sign of an eye problem worth mentioning to a doctor.

Posing under flash

Flash freezes everything, including a half-blink or a stiff grin. The tips Nikon credited to Carson Kressley in its February 2009 release apply well here:

• Giggle out loud just before the shot to get a natural laugh instead of a frozen smile.
• Act like you want the picture taken. The release suggests this produces a more natural smile.
• Hands on hips or slightly away from the body, leaving space between arms and torso.
• Know your best side by looking at photos of yourself you like, and lead with it.

Phones at night

In dim bars and restaurants, faces still need light, whatever the camera. Google’s Pixel tips recommend tapping on the subject so the phone sets focus and exposure for them, then dragging up or down to adjust brightness if a bright light sits behind them. Apple’s Portrait mode warns when there isn’t enough light — if it does, move closer to a lamp rather than forcing the shot. More on phone settings is on best light for portraits.

Dark venues, light outfits

Career offices that run headshot booths warn that all-white and very light outfits can wash out on camera and that solid black on its own can lose detail. Medium-to-deep solid colors are the safest choice. See what to wear in photos.

Sources

• Nikon press release, October 9, 2008 (series launch: nights out, flash)
• Nikon press release, February 4, 2009 (seven tips)
• Nikon USA, “Take Better Portraits”
• Nikon USA, “Speedlight Tutorial: Bounce Technique”
• Nikon USA, “Quick Tips for Taking Better Portraits”
• Wikipedia, “Red-eye effect”
• Google, “Frame this: 10 tips for getting great portraits on Pixel 2” (2017)
• Apple Support, “Use Portrait mode on your iPhone”
• Florida Atlantic University Career Center, professional headshots