Cole Bettelyoun wrote:
Be easier to answer if we could see a sample.

I agree with this. When I see an actual example, I know how I would attack it.
   HOWEVER, I have always said, "If you can think it, you can do it, in Photoshop". Without seeing an example, I believe I would zoom WAY in, and use a very small "paintbrush", in Photoshop, on a separate layer, (over the "base" layer), and "paint" back in the details that are blown out by the lights, sampling from the colors that are there, (the paintbrush becomes a color sampler, when the ALT key is pressed), then merge that layer down, after it looks "perfect". I have about three before and after examples of this technique in my portfolio. I agree with TMA photo and retouch, above, that you can paint back in the desired catchlights afterward.
-Don

SNT Kustoms wrote:
A noob question here of course.  I am curious as I see a lot of this kind of thing in pictures.  While I know anything CAN be done in Photoshop, I feel like the better the image itself, the less needs to be done, so here is my long-winded question:  What is the most common, or easiest process, to prevent this "ring" in the eye from occurring in the first place?  Thanks in advance. and sorry if this is jacking a thread.  I just thought the question to be related to the topic.

The more the pupil is dilated the more light will enter the eye and the more red eye you will get.  If you can have your subject look at a bright light source (or if you use a ring light outside as fill in bright sunlight) this will reduce, or even eliminate, the effect.

Other than that, there's not a lot you can do, it's kind of hit or miss as it depends on the eyes.  A couple things to try are using a reflector on the ring light and playing with angles of reflection (have them look away from camera), but you probably won't be able to get them off axis enough.  Getting in close to your subject also helps, but we're talking headshot here.

I tend to like a reflector on ring lights, but I shoot them both ways.

Giacomo Cirrincioni wrote:

The more the pupil is dilated the more light will enter the eye and the more red eye you will get.  If you can have your subject look at a bright light source (or if you use a ring light outside as fill in bright sunlight) this will reduce, or even eliminate, the effect.

Other than that, there's not a lot you can do, it's kind of hit or miss as it depends on the eyes.  A couple things to try are using a reflector on the ring light and playing with angles of reflection (have them look away from camera), but you probably won't be able to get them off axis enough.  Getting in close to your subject also helps, but we're talking headshot here.

I tend to like a reflector on ring lights, but I shoot them both ways.

ok.  Yeah, I knew about red-eye reduction and the like.  I had always thought a light reasonably bright enough but off-axis from the direct eye would be enough to reduce pupil dilation to stop red-eye, without causing a halo ring.  But again my experience is new to this, so perhaps my idea just won't work. lol

SNT Kustoms wrote:

ok.  Yeah, I knew about red-eye reduction and the like.  I had always thought a light reasonably bright enough but off-axis from the direct eye would be enough to reduce pupil dilation to stop red-eye, without causing a halo ring.  But again my experience is new to this, so perhaps my idea just won't work. lol

I think that's what I said?  Maybe I wasn't clear...  Try putting a 100 watt light on a stand near the camera off axis.