How to Not Blink in Photos: 5 Tricks That Work

6 min read · Glowmaxx

To not blink in photos, close your eyes gently while the photographer counts, then open them on "three," right as the photo is taken. Your eyes can't blink again that fast, so they're open for the shot. Add burst mode and, for flash photos, look slightly away until the last second, and you'll rarely end up with your eyes closed in a picture again. Here are the five tricks for how to not blink in photos, in order of how well they work.

If your eyes look tired or half closed in every photo and you're not sure why, Glowmaxx scores the light and angle in your daily selfie and gives you three moves to try today. Start my glow-up

Why you blink right on time

It feels like bad luck, but there are real reasons you always blink in photos.

• The countdown. "One, two, three" builds tension. Your eyes get drier and more tense the longer you hold them open, and blinks tend to arrive right at the end.
• The flash. Many cameras fire a small pre-flash before the main one. Your eyes react to it, and the real photo catches you mid-blink.
• Holding the pose. Staring at a lens without blinking for a few seconds is uncomfortable, so your eyes blink as soon as they can.
• Bright light. Sun or strong lights make you squint or blink to protect your eyes.

So blinking isn't a flaw. It's your eyes doing their job at the worst moment. The tricks below just shift the timing.

Close your eyes, open on three

This is the classic tip, and it works.

How to do it

1. When the photographer says "one," close your eyes softly. Don't squeeze.
2. Keep them closed on "two."
3. On "three," open them, look at the lens and smile.
4. The photo is taken while your eyes are fresh and open.

Your eyes have just rested, so you won't need to blink for a moment. It's the most reliable way to keep your eyes open in pictures, especially for posed and school photos.

Script for the photographer

If someone else is taking the photo, tell them: "Can you count to three and take it on three? I'm going to close my eyes until then." Most people are happy to do it.

Look down, then up

A softer version of the same idea, good when closing your eyes would feel strange (like in a big group).

1. While they set up, look down at the ground, relaxed.
2. On the count, lift your eyes to the lens.
3. The photo is taken right as you arrive.

Looking down gives your eyes a break from staring at the camera, and the upward movement makes your eyes look bright and open. It also stops you from holding a stiff face for too long, which helps if you tend to look awkward in photos.

Use burst mode

This is the easiest fix of all if you're taking the photo on a phone.

• iPhone: in the camera, slide the shutter button to the left (or hold it, depending on your settings) to take a burst.
• Android: many phones take a burst when you hold the shutter or swipe down on it. Check your camera settings.

A burst takes many photos in a second or two. Even if you blink in some, most frames will catch your eyes open. Then just keep the best one.

Flash photos: the extra trick

Flash is the biggest cause of blinking in photos, so it gets its own section.

How to not blink at flash

• Look slightly to the side of the lens until the last second, then look at the lens. The pre-flash won't hit your eyes directly.
• Or look just above the lens, at the photographer's forehead. In the photo it still looks like eye contact.
• Ask for a second shot straight away. The second one often works because the photographer's timing adjusts.
• Blink on purpose just before the flash, then open. Some people find this works better than trying to hold still.

When you're the one taking the photo

If your camera has a setting for flash, turning off red-eye reduction (which fires extra pre-flashes) can help, since fewer flashes means fewer chances to blink. Better still, find more light and skip the flash entirely.

Blinking isn't the only reason eyes look closed. Squinting into light and shadows from overhead bulbs make eyes look small too, and that's hard to judge on your own. Glowmaxx scores light and fit, and posture and angle, from 1 to 10 each in your daily selfie, with a one-line note, then gives you three moves for your lowest lever. Start my glow-up

If your eyes look closed because you smile hard, that's squinting, not blinking. See how to smile in photos without squinting for that fix.

Fixing a blink after the fact

Sometimes the moment is gone and you've got one photo with your eyes closed. A few options:

• Check Live Photos. On iPhone, if Live Photo was on, you can pick a different key frame from the short clip. Often there's a frame with your eyes open.
• Look through the rest of the burst or nearby photos from the same moment.
• Use a photo editor's eye tool. Some editing apps can open eyes or swap in eyes from another photo of the same moment. Results vary, so use them lightly.
• Crop around it if you're a small part of a group shot and the photo matters more for someone else.

Prevention is still much easier than fixing, which is why burst mode is worth making a habit.

Brighter eyes in your next photo, starting now

You've got five ways to not blink in photos. In the next minute you can take one selfie and have Glowmaxx score five levers you control, including light and fit, with a glow score out of 100 and three moves for today. The photo is scored once, then thrown away.

Start my glow-up

FAQ

Why do I always blink in photos?

Usually because of the countdown and the flash. Holding your eyes open while someone counts makes them want to blink at the end, and many cameras fire a pre-flash that makes you blink just before the real photo.

How do I not blink when a camera flashes?

Look slightly to the side of the lens or just above it until the last moment, then look at the lens. You can also close your eyes and open them on "three" so they're fresh when the flash fires.

How do I avoid closed eyes in group photos?

Ask the photographer to take several shots or use burst mode. Look down, then lift your eyes to the lens on the count, and ask for one more take if you think you blinked.

Why do my eyes look closed in photos when I smile?

That's usually squinting, not blinking. A full smile pushes your cheeks up into your lower lids. Softening the smile a little and moving out of bright light keeps your eyes open.

Can you fix eyes closed in a picture?

Sometimes. Check Live Photos or the rest of the burst for an open-eyed frame first. Some photo editors can open or swap eyes, but results vary, so preventing blinks is easier.