Camera system and method for operating a camera system

A system and method for controlling a camera assembly may include monitoring an image field for blinks by one or more subjects in the image field. The monitoring may be carried out by generating a video signal of the image field, the video signal having a sequence of frames; subtracting a previous frame of the video signal from a current frame of the video signal to generate a difference frame; and identifying image data in the difference frame that is representative of a blink. Each blink may be tracked and associated with a subject from the one or more subjects. Statistical data regarding blink duration and blink rate for each subject from the one or more subjects may be generated. In response to user input to command the taking of a photograph, a determination if a blink is in progress may be made and a flash of the camera assembly may be fired and image data for the photograph may be captured if no blink is detected at the time of the command. Otherwise, firing of the flash and the capturing of the image data may be delayed by an amount of time that is based on the statistical data to minimize firing the flash and capturing the image data during a blink of the one or more subjects.