Light Spots on Pictures

Q: Why am I sometimes seeing light spots in my images after using the built in flash on my camera?

A: The most likely cause of the small 'floating' light colored spots in the photo is "backscatter". Backscatter occurs when light (usually from a camera's flash) reflects back into the lens from nearby airborne particles such as dust, rain or snowflakes. These reflections (especially when shooting against a dark background) then appear as small light spots or circles in your photos.

If possible, taking the photo without using the flash may reduce the appearance of spots under these conditions. You may also be able to remove the spots from the picture with photo editing software.