Can eyes be damaged by flash?

[stripee]

I'm trying to take photos at night, Badgers foxes etc, and would like to get closer - the Badgers are not particularly bothered by the flash of the camera but usually look up with surprise when it goes off. But I am wondering about the effect on their eyes, and on taking photos with flash close up to any wildlife. The flash at night is very bright.
How close is safe?

[mh68]

Unless theyre actually looking at the flash when it goes off I cant see it having too detrimental an effect,although it may affect their vision temporarily. If youre using an external flashgun and it has the ability to do so, pointing the flash head slightly upwards so the animal is lit more by the edges of the flash`s beam,rather than directly would lessen any temporary effect the flash would have on the animal`s vision. It would probably help a lot with redeye too in your shots.

Mark H

[stripee]

Thanks Mark,
the animals tend to look straight at the camera when I'm taking photos which is why I wondered.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by mh68

Unless theyre actually looking at the flash when it goes off I cant see it having too detrimental an effect,although it may affect their vision temporarily. If youre using an external flashgun and it has the ability to do so, pointing the flash head slightly upwards so the animal is lit more by the edges of the flash`s beam,rather than directly would lessen any temporary effect the flash would have on the animal`s vision. It would probably help a lot with redeye too in your shots.

Mark H

You could also use a flash difuser or omni bounce - this will give a softer light and look more natural. I dont think it is likely to do permanent damage to foxes or Badgers but it may well scare them away as it can resemble gun fire. - That said i'd definitely think twicwe before using it with owls .

[Paul mabbott]

I've no idea but it's a sensible and interesting question and I'm interested in the responses.

[mh68]

Badgers` eyesight isnt particularly keen from all i`ve read on the subject. Foxes, i`m not sure...some books i`ve read suggest that their eyesight is extremely good, while others have suggested it`s more attuned to spotting subtle movement than picking out detail.My own limited experiences would tend to point towards the latter but I couldnt be certain.
Either way, it always pays to err on the side of caution when using flash photography with nocturnal animals who`s eyesight is more tuned to the infrared side of the spectrum than ours, and i agree 100% with Pete about using flash on Owls...
If photographing animals at a specific known feeding area, sett or whatever, setting up remote slave flashes well above the ground would also help avoid problems...the flash wouldnt be at the same level as the animal this way, so direct flash into the animal`s eyes would be avoided...

Mark H

[eeyore]

from the point of view of not scaring the animals - if you are working with an established feeding area it might be better to habituate them to the idea of being under halogen spot lamps then to turn your iso up and shoot by lamp light alone rather than using flash(not forgetting of course to set your wb to halogen)

[mh68]

Originally Posted by eeyore

from the point of view of not scaring the animals - if you are working with an established feeding area it might be better to habituate them to the idea of being under halogen spot lamps then to turn your iso up and shoot by lamp light alone rather than using flash(not forgetting of course to set your wb to halogen)

Only trouble may be attracting unwanted attention to the area eg a Badger sett with constant bright lighting, but then again, a flash going off would do the same thing I suppose, but possibly to a lesser degree? Constant lighting would certainly make focussing easier though

Mark H

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by mh68

Only trouble may be attracting unwanted attention to the area eg a Badger sett with constant bright lighting, but then again, a flash going off would do the same thing I suppose, but possibly to a lesser degree? Constant lighting would certainly make focussing easier though

Mark H

thats certainly a point - i wouldnt do it at a sett ( which would probably be illegal anyway) but if you are shooting in your garden or at an established hide its definitely an option

it is also relatively easy to modify a web cam or second hand digital camera to shoot in the infra red spectrum ( as described here http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-IR-Webcam/ ) i dont fancy butchering a dslr though - then use IR spots which are invisible to the naked eye but allow you to get reasonable pics.

[mh68]

Originally Posted by eeyore

it is also relatively easy to modify a web cam or second hand digital camera to shoot in the infra red spectrum (though i dont fancy butchering a dslr) - then use IR spots which are invisible to the naked eye but allow you to get reasonable pics.

That sounds like an idea well worth pursuing for anyone who does a lot of nighttime wildlife photography....I think making a dslr IR capable just involves removing the IR filter on top of the sensor and replacing it with a glass equivalent? I`m sure I saw a thread on one of the camera forums mentioning a place that does that very job...

Mark H

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by mh68

That sounds like an idea well worth pursuing for anyone who does a lot of nighttime wildlife photography....I think making a dslr IR capable just involves removing the IR filter on top of the sensor and replacing it with a glass equivalent? I`m sure I saw a thread on one of the camera forums mentioning a place that does that very job...

Mark H

theres a lot of info on that here Infrared with a DSLR

not something i'd do lightly and you would definitely need to dedicate a dslr soley to IR photography.

I also understand that the sigma sd 9/ sd14 has its IR filter a longway in front of the filter , meaning it can be removed as a diy mod (tho i'm not sure i'd fancy risking that)

[mh68]

I`m down to one camera now (sold my fuji and fz50 and replaced them with a 20d and lenses) so it`s not something i`ll be trying soon, but for someone with a spare body it may prove worth doing...ta for the link, i`ll check it out..

Mark H

[stripee]

Interesting replies, thanks...I will look at links too, although my camera equipment is only basic at present. Back lighting is something the animals would accept, and it's not at the actual sett, out in the woods, but I don't want to attract attention. The odd flash goes unnoticed I don't take many photos, only now and again. Bright moonlit nights would be good, but most Badgers etc don't come out so readily on these. I will stick to trying to get side views of them or over their heads!

[mh68]

Originally Posted by stripee

Interesting replies, thanks...I will look at links too, although my camera equipment is only basic at present. Back lighting is something the animals would accept, and it's not at the actual sett, out in the woods, but I don't want to attract attention. The odd flash goes unnoticed I don't take many photos, only now and again. Bright moonlit nights would be good, but most Badgers etc don't come out so readily on these. I will stick to trying to get side views of them or over their heads!

I came across this article on the subject, hope its ok to post the link...interesting stuff...

NatureScapes.Net - Article on Flash Photography and the Visual System of Birds and Animals

Mark H

[Rob_D]

Very interesting. I have a trail camera (flash camera triggered by IR beam), but have been holding off from using it on a Badger trail because I feared the flash would scare the Badgers and/or damage their eyes. If they are not scared by a flash, and their eyes will be fine, then I have no reason not to try it.

I figured Badgers have very poor eyesight anyway judging by my few sightings where the animal as almost run into me.