History Main / BlindingCameraFlash

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E4NikolaTeslasNightOfTerror "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror"]], the Doctor uses an old camera found on the Skithra ship to temporarily blind the Queen and some of her minions so she, Yaz and Tesla can teleport away.

* The second stage in ''VideoGame/ScottPilgrimVSTheWorldTheGame'' had a unique paparazzi enemy, every snap of the flashbulb stunned your character (the ability was even called 'flash stun' in the credits) it doesn't do damage but stalls the character enough to let other enemies gang up on you.

* The second stage in ''VideoGame/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' had a unique paparazzi enemy, every snap of the flashbulb stunned your character (the ability was even called 'flash stun' in the credits) it doesn't do damage but stalls the character enough to let other enemies gang up on you.

A person uses a camera and takes a photo...and the flash wasn't off. The resulting flash either blinds the unfortunate recipient of said photo or makes them see spots. This can be used as a handy distraction or even as a nasty form of ImprovisedWeapon. TruthInTelevision, as anyone who's ever had to take a school photo or have been at an area with a lot of flash photography can attest.

''Series/SesameStreet'': At the beginning of ''Elmo's World: Cameras'', Elmo is briefly blinded by the flash of the paparazzi-like cameras.

SubTrope of BlindedByTheLight. Compare WeaponizedCamera where this effect may be exploited in a combat situation. See also EpilepticFlashingLights, in which multiple, quick, successive flashes are used to disorient, and BlindedByTheSun.

* An ''Manhua/OldMasterQ'' comic have the titular character being the guest of an opening showroom's ribbon-cutting ceremony, with dozens and dozens of cameras flashing out around him. So much that Master Q ends up shutting the scissors [[{{Fingore}} around his left thumb]] in an AmusingInjuries moment.

SubTrope of BlindedByTheLight. Compare WeaponizedCamera where this effect may be exploited in a combat situation. See also EpilepticFlashingLights, in which multiple, quick, successive flashes are used to disorient.

A person uses a camera and takes a photo...and the flash wasn't off. The resulting flash either blinds the unfortunate recipient of said photo or makes him see spots. This can be used as a handy distraction or even as a nasty form of ImprovisedWeapon. TruthInTelevision, as anyone who's ever had to take a school photo or have been at an area with a lot of flash photography can attest.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4093969/1/First-Steps First Steps]]'', [[WesternAnimation/TheRaccoons Bert's]] new camera has an intensely bright flash due to being designed to take night pictures. He tries to adjust it down before taking a picture of Cyril, but accidentally turns it the wrong way and ends up temporarily blinding Cyril.

* Weaponized in ''Literature/DebtOfHonor'', when Clark and Chavez, posing as geologists, are tasked with capturing a dangerous African warlord while surrounded by the warlord's men. Chavez pulls out what looks like a specialized light system, claiming that it's for photography, and then asks to take a picture of the warlord. The flash is so bright that everyone standing within range is incapacitated for about 5 minutes, more than enough time for Clark and Chavez to tie up all the guards. [[spoiler: It's later used to save the Japanese Prime Minister, but because it was intended for an outdoor environment, Chavez gets dazed by the flash himself. It's also used as a ''directed'' weapon to blind two pilots at a critical moment of landing, from a distance of several hundred feet, causing both planes to crash.]]

** As the strip title put it, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-08-24 "Dude, Like, Sarah Just TOTALLY Flashed Female Justin"]].
** PlayedForDrama much later, during the [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1339 boar attack]].
* In ''Webcomic/{{Housepets}}'', Peanut [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/comic/2015/09/04/select-the-tourist-class/ inadvertently does this to a threatening sabre-toothed cat]] during one of their temporal escapades.

* Weaponized in ''Literature/DebtOfHonor'', when Clark and Chavez, posing as geologists, are tasked with capturing a dangerous African warlord (an {{Expy}} of Mohammed Farrah Aidid of Somalia) while surrounded by the warlord's men. Chavez pulls out what looks like a specialized light system, claiming that it's for photography, and then asks to take a picture of the warlord. The flash is so bright that everyone standing within range is incapacitated for about 5 minutes, more than enough time for Clark and Chavez to tie up all the guards. [[spoiler: It's later used to save the Japanese Prime Minister, but because it was intended for an outdoor environment, Chavez gets dazed by the flash himself. It's also used as a ''directed'' weapon to blind two pilots at a critical moment of landing, from a distance of several hundred feet, causing both planes to crash.]]

* In the WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck cartoon "Grand Canyonscope", Donald asks the ranger to photograph him atop his burro. The flash blinds the burro, leaving him stumbling along the steep Grand Canyon trail.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' the toys use flashes to stop [[spoiler:Stinky Pete]] from hurting Woody.

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* In ''ComicBook/GastonLagaffe'', Gaston's home-made flash is strong enough to not only blind Fantasio and De Mesmaeker, but also blacken their skin, scorch their clothes, vaporize the champagne they were about to drink, and burn the signed contracts to ashes.

* When Kate finds out {{Film/Gremlins}} don't like bright lights, she uses a camera flash to keep them at bay until she runs out of film.
* In ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'', Gonzo takes a group shot of everyone at the Happiness Hotel, giving everyone bulging eyes, even the characters with EyesAlwaysShut...
** He later takes a photo of [[NoFourthWall the audience]] at the end of the credits, causing the screen to cut to black.
-->"I'll send each of you a copy!"
* ''Film/TheJewelOfTheNile''. One of the Sufi takes a picture of a guard, then [[WeNeedADistraction everyone slips by]] while he's rubbing his eyes.

* Used as a political dirty trick in "A Bathroom Of Her Own" by Creator/RobertAHeinlein. A political candidate is blinded by an unexpected camera flash, with a second picture being taken a moment later as he tries to recover. The picture from the second camera - showing the candidate looking confused, dazzled and dopey - is then used by his opponents in their attack ads.
* Weaponized in ''Literature/DebtOfHonor'', when Clark and Chavez, posing as geologists, are tasked with capturing a dangerous African warlord (an {{Expy}} of Mohammed Farrah Aidid of Somalia) while surrounded by the warlord's men. Chavez pulls out what looks like a specialized light system, claiming that it's for photography, and then asks to take a picture of the warlord. The flash is so bright that everyone standing within range is incapacitated for about 5 minutes, more than enough time for Clark and Chavez to tie up all the guards. [[spoiler: It's later used to save the Japanese Prime Minister, but because it was intended for an outdoor environment, Chavez gets dazed by the flash himself. It's also used as a ''directed'' weapon to blind two pilots at a critical moment of landing, from a distance of several hundred feet, causing both planes to crash.]]

* Cameras in ''VideoGame/NetHack'' do this to enemies; the Tourist player-class starts the game with one.
* ''VideoGame/ToejamAndEarl in Panic on Funkotron'' features [[HawaiianShirtedTourist Hawaiian Shirted Tourists]] who use their camera flash as a weapon.
* The scanner enemies in ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' do this if you're looking at them when they photograph you (this is pretty much the only hazard they pose, apart from occasionally giving your position away to a strider).
* In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', your character being blinded by one on his birthdays as a child is used to transition to the next point of your character's childhood/the tutorial.

* This is one of [[VideoGame/DeadRising Frank West's]] moves in ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Spelunky}}'' can give the player a camera which will stun enemies (or kill them if they're weak enough); when used on the indestructible Ghost, it causes him to pause briefly and pose. The flash can also be used to illuminate darkened levels.
* In the ''[[VideoGame/HomeAloneSega Home Alone]]'' LicensedGame for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, one of the weapons Kevin can assemble is a flashbulb shotgun, which provides this effect on Harry and Marv.

* This happens in an episode of Creator/TheBBC's kids' show ''Kerwhizz'' when contestant Ninki is trying out her new camera on her canine companion Pip, much to his annoyance.

* Used on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' as a weapon against crazed robot Itchys and Scratchys at Itchy and Scratchy Land. Flashing them with cameras caused their brains to go haywire.
* In the "school photo" episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}},'' there's a RunningGag about people being blinded by the camera and wandering around dizzily.
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'', Muttley photographs Penelope Pitstop during the race. Penelope is blinded so severely by the flash that she has to stop driving momentarily.
* Muttley does it again, to Dick Dastardly, in the ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'' episode "Lens a Hand".
* In the WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck cartoon "Grand Canyonscope", Donald asks the ranger to photograph him atop his burro. The flash blinds the burro, leaving him stumbling along the steep Grand Canyon trail.

* This happens to Zach at the beginning of the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'' episode "Honesty", when he touches his dad's camera and accidentally breaks it.
* In the WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} cartoon "WesternAnimation/HowToPlayFootball", a player is blinded by flashbulbs and fumbles the ball. He scores only because no one else can catch the ball, and he eventually stumbles upon it at the goal line.

* Happens to WesternAnimation/MrBogus in the claymation short shown after the second act of the episode "[[Recap/MrBogusS1E11LightsCameraBogus Lights, Camera, Bogus]]", when he attempts to take a picture of himself and checks the camera to find out why it didn't go off earlier.
* WesternAnimation/ThePinkPanther, in the short "Smile Pretty, Say Pink!", mistakes a case of camera flashbulbs for eggs and swallows them. Every time he hiccups, he goes off in a flash from the bulbs, blinding a bear in a cave and, after entering a photographer's darkroom, ruining the photographer's negatives.