Lens Flare

[Kyuss]

Ok, looking for some advice. How do you guys get rid of the lens flare issues??

Some of the flares, like the ones closer to the lights I think are ok, but the ones that are up in the sky I'd like to get rid of. I was just wondering if you guys run into problems like this and how you correct them.

Thank you

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[jon_k]

Ok, looking for some advice. How do you guys get rid of the lens flare issues??
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Lens flare is caused when light is reflected around inside the lens between lens elements and air gaps. Every lens surface where lens meets air a certain amount of light will be reflected. When you introduce bright light sources, the reflected light will end up hitting your film/sensor causing the flare.

Basically the more air gaps you have in your lens between lens elements, the more at-risk you will be.

As you can see in this zoom lens the big gaps are likely to reflect light around. It happens more often when you have more lens elements. (The lens groups, where you see 3-4 lenses sandwiched together aren't likely to generate flare.)

Unfortunately there isn't a filter or anything that can help with this. In fact I think by adding more air/glass surfaces in to the picture you're going to just add more lens flare. I found this out myself recently in fact!

As a sidenote, usually lens flare happens when light is coming in from the side (and out of view from your composition.) thats why they make lens hoods. It blocks out glare from the side of your picture to prevent lens flare from happening. In your case it seems the glare was coming from a light source within your composition (the carpark thing)

I think the only thing that could have helped you here was 1) if you had any filters on, you could have removed them 2) asked whoever runs that place to shut off the light. 3) Went somewhere else to get that light out of your composition.

I took some really nice Freeway pictures in the early morning and the headlights from all the cars created a flare. I got some really interesting shots and was upset to find them all (in my opinion) ruined by flare. I had a UV lens on, and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have happened had I removed it. (Similar shots taken without my UV filter don't have this problem.) I'll remember next time about filters and the flare that can happen with them.

 

[doenoe]

EDIT: just typed something, jon allready did.

 

[Kyuss]

Thanks!

Yeah, I had a UV on at the time. Didn't even think about taking it off. Now I'll keep that in mind!

I was bored last night and felt like taking a picture close to home, I was trying to get Venus in there. No big deal....just wish the flare wasn't there!