Use your camera's red-eye reduction setting (if it has one) when taking flash photographs of people.
Avoid red-eye by turning up or providing more light in the room.
Aiming the flash directly at your subject can result in harsh lighting. Try to bounce the flash off a reflective or white surface, such as the ceiling, to produce a softer light.
'Fill-in' flash (which may be a setting on your camera) is useful for subjects that are quite brightly lit from behind, as in this picture.
