Looking for advice - green spot on sunset photo...

sturner113 · Sep 6, 2009

hello everyone - I am new to this forum board and am an amateur photographer always learning right? I would like someone to look at my attached photo and try to explain why I have this green spot on my photo - could it be a reflection from the sunset? What could I do to remove it?
What could I do to avoid this happening again?
Thanks much,
sturner113

Okay, I can't see how to attach a photo here....help!

Kw_Reis · Sep 6, 2009

www.imageshack.us Go there and upload the file you want to show us. Once you have uploaded it it will give you a few different links. Scroll down to the bottom part of the page you should see "For forums/messageboard" and the code should be HTML format.

Derrel · Sep 6, 2009

A green spot is usually a reflection of the lens diaphragm, caused by shooting toward the sun,and it often occurs when the sunlight strikes the front element of the lens at a glancing angle. Often this green spot will have sharply-defined edges, in the shape of the lens's physical aperture--often with five, six,or seven sides to the green area.

THis type of image flaw is called a "ghost", and a lens that does this is said to be prone to "ghosting". Using a lens hood or shading the front of the lens with the brim of a baseball cap,or a piece of crd stock paper, or something like that, and casting a shadow onto the front element of the lens, will almost always prevent ghosting. Keeping sun rays off of the lens front is paramount to reducing ghosting.

sturner113 · Sep 6, 2009

Thank you Kw_Reis and Derrel -
I have uploaded my photo to imageshack.however how do I attach it to this message board? Or do I link you to imageshack.us to view it?

Derrel - I do have a lense hood on my lense, so by placing a shield over the lense hood to extend the shading of the direct sun rays? Will this alter the photo if you are trying to capture the sunset in the photo?

Kw_Reis · Sep 6, 2009

sturner113 said:
Thank you Kw_Reis and Derrel -
I have uploaded my photo to imageshack.however how do I attach it to this message board? Or do I link you to imageshack.us to view it?

Derrel - I do have a lense hood on my lense, so by placing a shield over the lense hood to extend the shading of the direct sun rays? Will this alter the photo if you are trying to capture the sunset in the photo?

Copy and paste the image code marked for use on forums and message boards. Just double click the code and right click, then hit copy. Return to the forum and in a new message right click the message area and hit paste. It will paste a code into the message that sort of looks like this.
[/ IMG] That is the HTML Image code you need to "hotlink" phtotos to message boards. Im sure you have seen people post pictures in there messages. If you still have an issue with this, e-mail me the picture and ill host it for you and post it here. Also...you could always open a Flickr account.[URL="http://www.flickr.com"]Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing[/URL] its free and a great way to share your shots.As far as the green dot...Could be dust, could be noise, could be a random reflection. Is it a consistant green dot?
BTW...when you post the code into the message its not going to show a picture until you actually post it. ;)

Kw_Reis · Sep 6, 2009

Derrel said:
A green spot is usually a reflection of the lens diaphragm, caused by shooting toward the sun,and it often occurs when the sunlight strikes the front element of the lens at a glancing angle. Often this green spot will have sharply-defined edges, in the shape of the lens's physical aperture--often with five, six,or seven sides to the green area.

THis type of image flaw is called a "ghost", and a lens that does this is said to be prone to "ghosting". Using a lens hood or shading the front of the lens with the brim of a baseball cap,or a piece of crd stock paper, or something like that, and casting a shadow onto the front element of the lens, will almost always prevent ghosting. Keeping sun rays off of the lens front is paramount to reducing ghosting.

^^ what he said.