Eliminating blinking from pictures has always been a huge challenge for photographers. And as far as challenges go, we can also add looking in the wrong direction, sneezing, and last-second movements to the list.

So when I the Blink Eradication System, I HAD TO EXAMINE IT. I won’t keep you in suspense until the end of this review…

It Works, at a 4.5 Out of 5.0 Level!

What’s Their Approach?

I was ready to hollar “waste of time,” thinking that the Blink Eradication System would consist of the common… “make sure you count to 3 so they know when you’re taking the shot” type of “wisdom.”

Instead, they use a logical 2-Phase Approach that addresses any eventuality:

1. Practical information for “Minimizing” blinking before taking the picture (They actually say Minimize not Eliminate, which gained credibility points, since eliminating it is impossible.)

2. A software tool that completely eliminates blinking afterward, if any blinking made it through

What Do They Do And How Well Do They Do It?

For the “Minimizing” phase, it works pretty well. They begin with a scientific conclusion:

“For groups smaller than 20, divide the number of people by three if there’s good light and two if the light’s bad. That’s how many shots you need to
take.”

Then, they cover a lot of ground on how to minimize blinking BEFORE taking the image. Categories include equipment set up, preparing the environment and subjects, and even some posing tips. I give this phase a 4 out of 5.

For the 2nd phase, they knock it out of the park! The software worked flawlessly during the 6 times I used it. Even though they didn’t write the software, they were very upfront about all aspects of it.

Two animated tutorials are provided that eliminate the need of reading Help files. This phase gets a 5 out of 5.

Conclusion

Does it Function as Expected?
Yes, and quite well, with an overall score of 4.5 out of 5.0.

What Are The Drawbacks?
Note that I can find drawbacks to anything. With that said, the only point to be aware of is the software only operates on PCs that use the Windows XP operating system.

Given the state of Vista, that may not be an issue anymore. If you do use Vista, and would still like to use the software, they provide several ideas for workarounds. The simplest one is maintaining two operating systems on your PC (sounds very scary, but after using their software, you just might be tempted).

Does The Value Justify The Cost?
If you take nothing but landscape photographs, the answer is “no.” But if you take photographs of people, especially groups of 2 or more; the answer is a definite “yes.”

For what you’re getting, the Blink Eradication System is a bargain. In addition to what I’ve mentioned, they include a clever way to remember everything required prior to taking any photographs — two “Cheat Sheets;” one for Indoor, and one for Outdoors. Anyone who doesn’t have a photographic memory will find these helpful.

And, as is the custom of online digital offers, they provide a few bonuses to sweeten the deal. Their 5 bonuses actually provide some value. Plus, they stand behind the Blink Eradication System with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Final Conclusion
Imagine I’m shouting: huge photography issue eliminated! The Blink Eradication System is a product that I wish I had 10 years ago. At what they’re charging, all I can say is get it before the price goes up.

It’s simple to take portraits. Simply aim the camera at a face and shoot, right? Well, yes and no. Certainly you can do that, but if you show your family the printed results, are they mesmerized by each picture or do they flip through the pile of photos so quickly that their hair blows back?

Here are some portrait tricks for taking the kind of portraits you’ll be proud of…

The Power of “Eye”

Usually, the most important area of a portrait is the subject’s eyes. First, make sure they are open. (Then again, feel free to experiment with taking pictures when your subjects’ eyes are closed.) Just make sure your subject is not blinking.

When the subject’s face is in your viewfinder, place the focus point of your camera on the subject’s eye, NOT the nose or the chin.

If you don’t, based on your aperture’s setting, the depth of field could result in a sharp picture of the tip of the nose while the rest of the face is slightly blurred.

Having the subject staring directly into the camera, is typical with portraits. However, some of the most striking pictures have your subject(s) looking elsewhere.

For example, consider:

• The subject looking at something outside what can be seen in the picture
• Two subjects looking at each other
• Your subject staring intently at an object that can also be seen in the same picture

Taking Candids

If you’ve ever met anyone who states: “I don’t take good pictures,” posing them could be a problem.

Instead of giving up, take the necessary time to learn about and relate to the subject. Once they give you their unspoken approval, taking candids can have spectacular results. I personally find this approach works best with very young children.

Backgrounds

Let’s face it – the subject in your portrait should be more interesting than the background. If not, make the background the focus of the shot. With that said, you can use backgrounds in different ways.

To make the background as invisible as possible, use as large an f-stop as your camera allows (F/2.0, for example). This will cause your background to be blurry and therefore help your viewer focus their attention on the subject.

Expressions

For some portraits, the expression of your subject says it all. It’s easy to capture extreme expressions when taking candids of children. Unfortunately, it generally takes more time, work, and effort (from the photographer) to elicit the same type of true emotions from adults.

Using Props

Adding a prop can be risky. On the plus side, you can improve your photograph by adding another point of interest that draws your viewer in.

On the downside, the prop can take too much interest away from your subject. This is one of those areas where common sense and experience are your best teachers.

These posing tips should improve your portraits. And if you like what you’ve read, you can have photo tips made for photographing groups sent to you every month, without charge.

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