Photography Safety for your eyes, retina, & sensors. Warnings that Goggle Maps may consider for all

[Malarik]

I recently noticed that many people have taken & posted all types of photos that involve sunrise, sunset, and other bright objects.

I also see many people in my community who are tourists take all kinds of pics involving the beautiful seaside sunsets here with various

cameras, including there phones.

The top of eye damage did occur for a brief time with respect to looking at eclipses, but not really in other situations.  The sun is not 

only extremely bright, but it carries tons of energy also as infa-red & UV light.

Since both the lens of your eye & a cameras lens focus & magnifies this radiation onto the most sensitive part of your retina &/or your

camera sensor, all that heat/radiation can & will damage either.  Your eye somewhat compensates by reducing the input by pupil constriction

& your camera does something similar....but this will not help for long.

Never stare at a sunset/sunrise with your naked eye, nor via some direct viewfinders.  Some camera lens via direct view & via Telephoto

may even concentrate the radiation further.  While the glass in the lens may limit UV, it will not hinder Infra-red.  Infra-red is heat & can

literally "cook" your retina, or your sensor.

I think that it would be a great public safety idea for Goggle Connect to post general safety tips for it's members. This would be

especially relevant to those who may unknowingly endanger themselves to get shots that could harm them.

Other safety tips could also be suggested such as not backing away from a photo subject without really looking behind

you.

Anyway, I do often offer my tips to those I see taking sunset pics around me.  Ironically, they seem to be worried about

the damage to their $1,000 iPhone than their eyes.  Some DSLR's like mine range into many thousands of dollars....so

that is a worry also.  Happily, there is no danger in taking pics nor looking at a Super-moon...nor even the brightest stars.

That radiation is many orders of magnitude smaller than our Sun.

I do hope that this post helps & please feel free to add more

info as you see fit.

Thanks,

Paul

[GeorgesHR]

Hey @Malarik,

Thanks for the tips Paul !

I confess I did not know some of the points you made.

Useful information for sure!

Regards!

Georges

[HelloSamsonR]

Your tips are very helpful @Malarik . I remember reading the instructions in my manual when I purchased a lens for my DSLR. The manual stated never to direct the lens to the sun as this could damage the eyes and cause a permanent blindness. Ever since them I have been extremely cautious in taking sunrise/sunset photos. Following tips like yours have been a guidance too. Thanks for sharing and am glad to learn from this as well too.