Lens flare?

[monocle]

I took some photos of the setting sun this past week while in mexico.

i couldn't seem to get a shot without very distracting lens flare.

i understand that the flare occurs from light bouncing around inside the lens due to spaces or pockets of air and often occurs when the sun or other light is off to the side. i was shooting directly at the sun.

Is there any way around this?

i can post an example if needed...

THANKS!

 

[jon_k]

I took some photos of the setting sun this past week while in mexico.

i couldn't seem to get a shot without very distracting lens flare.

i understand that the flare occurs from light bouncing around inside the lens due to spaces or pockets of air and often occurs when the sun or other light is off to the side. i was shooting directly at the sun.

Is there any way around this?

i can post an example if needed...

THANKS!

An example would be nice and give us more idea. There's flare that could happen from the sun hitting head on, and flare that can come from the side.

If it's sideflare, thats why you got a lens hood. It's there to block diagonal light from coming in from outside of the frame and bouncing and hitting the film. However, theres no real way to block flare from the sun or other bright objects if your shooting right at their general direction. You either got to avoid it, or compose where its obscured by a large object.

If you were using a telephoto you get the biggest problem with flare. Thats because these big lenses have huge gaps between elements. I'd assume a prime lens might have less trouble with flaring since it's fixed focal length and the gaps between elements will probably be smaller.

 

[Garbz]

First the biggest flare comes from the filter. Remove it. Flare also depends on aperture, you can change it's size to make it part of the composition by adjusting the aperture ring. Finally it depends on the number of elements you have and the quality of the lens. Many fixed focals have very little flare. Cheap zooms have a LOT.

 

[monocle]

An example would be nice and give us more idea.

First the biggest flare comes from the filter. Remove it.

too bad I only thought about that on the way home...

 

[Garbz]

That's a very specific type of flare called ghosting I think. In this case I'm going to blame it entirely on the filter reflecting back a picture reflected off the front element.

 

[monocle]

That's a very specific type of flare called ghosting I think. In this case I'm going to blame it entirely on the filter reflecting back a picture reflected off the front element.

Excellent... I will be sure to remove the filter in future situations like that...

since it's already posted, any suggestions on the picture in general and how i can make it better? other than the flare of course...

 

[Garbz]

You've split the horizon and centred the sun. Absolute no-no in my books. Try and decide what you like more the sky or the water and bring that out a bit. If you can get the sun out to the side 1/3rd of the frame as well. In my opinion nearly the only time a photo framed like the one above truly leaves and impact is if everything is perfectly symmetrical.

Oh and before you leave it to your next sunset I suggest going outside asap and just firing a shot into the sun as a test without the filter, before you get angry at yourself.

 

[monocle]

thanks!

It felt little awkward splitting the frame evenly like that. I generally avoid symmetry in all aspects of life so it seemed fitting to incorporate that into photos. but then I did the opposite of what i felt.

that'll teach me!

fortunately, I speak fluent photoshop!

will do about the testing...