My Son...Too Much Lens Flare?

[DavidSR]

Hey guys,
Here's one of my son..I know there might be a whole lot wrong with it, but I like it ..C&C welcome and appreciated!

EXIF: 1/125, F13, ISO 200...Is that shutter speed fine for the picture since the sun is almost directly in the frame? Or should I have shot with a faster shutter. I have heard that taking pictures with the sun in the frame can possibly damage your sensor, so I would just like to make sure.
Thank you!!
1.

2.

I used direct flash on this one and had to clone out his shadow, but now that I look at it I see that I could have done a better job cloning it out.
3.

 

[skieur]

It is a good idea to minimize as much as possible the time that the sun is in the frame and to use a lens hood to reduce or eliminate flare. I might also suggest the use of a polarizing filter even when using flash. I find that it produces a natural skin colour and reduces the harshness of light and shadow.

skieur

 

[DavidSR]

I know..I never shoot with the sun in the frame and have seen a lot of pictures with the sun in the frame so I took a chance and seem to be doing fine . I won't do it again, but I have liked a few pictures I have seen with lens flare in them and wanted to try it out.

Thanks for the comment!

 

[jwsciontc]

i remember seeing this little guy before!! but yea just try not to get the actual son in the pictures, hoods help too

 

[Turnerea]

i remember seeing this little guy before!! but yea just try not to get the actual son in the pictures, hoods help too

son in picture = good.
sun in picture = bad.

 

[blash]

Use a lens hood, don't use flash here because of the shadow on the ground (the cloned out part is pretty noticeable). Instead, wait for dawn/dusk so there's no weird lighting that you're trying to compensate for with the flash. Also, compositionally speaking, create more space around your son so he has "room to breathe" so to speak.

By the way, having the sun in the photo can be used to rather dramatic effect (but yeah, pretty much only in HDR so it doesn't kill everything else in the photo). HDR example photography from StuckInCustoms.com:

http://stuckincustoms.com/2008/12/0...rn-rockies-to-get-this-photo-for-the-machine/

 

[DavidSR]

Use a lens hood, don't use flash here because of the shadow on the ground (the cloned out part is pretty noticeable). Instead, wait for dawn/dusk so there's no weird lighting that you're trying to compensate for with the flash. Also, compositionally speaking, create more space around your son so he has "room to breathe" so to speak.

Thanks! I know what you mean and he did have more room, but I had to crop it out because it was blown out . I guess I have to learn how to use my surroundings a little better. Just to be safe..I think I might stay away from facing the camera towards the sun..like I said..I have seen many pictures with the sun in the frame and their cameras seem to be doing fine, but better safe than sorry .

Thanks for the comments everyone!

 

[lockwood81]

1.

I really like this picture, I might have cropped some of the foreground grass out, but other than that, its great. I really like it. Good work.
The black and white version not so much.

 

[DavidSR]

I really like this picture, I might have cropped some of the foreground grass out, but other than that, its great. I really like it. Good work.
The black and white version not so much.

Thanks for the comment! I know what you mean about the foreground..I have heard in another forum that the composition isn't the best.

 

[El2]

Great job. I thought #1 was pretty good. I might just crop a little of the sun flare out, it's a bit too bright which leads my eyes to it instead of the subject.

 

[DavidSR]

Thanks for the comment! I was thinking about that also and need to try cropping that and the grass out..hopefully it turns out better

 

[tsaraleksi]

The only hard and fast rule is that if you like how it looks, then you succeeded in your efforts! If you like the image with flare, then it's good-- the sun can be left in the frame creatively if you want to do so.

 

[ANDS!]

It is a good idea to minimize as much as possible the time that the sun is in the frame and to use a lens hood to reduce or eliminate flare.

Unless you USE the lens flare as a means of adding character to the photo. I think the first one WORKS because of the lens flare (sun merging with your son). I do not like the B&W edit because it minimizes this wonderful "mistake".

 

[DavidSR]

The only hard and fast rule is that if you like how it looks, then you succeeded in your efforts! If you like the image with flare, then it's good-- the sun can be left in the frame creatively if you want to do so.

I do like how it looks. Thanks for the comment!

Unless you USE the lens flare as a means of adding character to the photo. I think the first one WORKS because of the lens flare (sun merging with your son). I do not like the B&W edit because it minimizes this wonderful "mistake".

Thanks for the comment! Well, I won't try lens flare shots again..or at least until I have another camera ...I don't want to risk frying my only camera.

 

[skieur]

The only hard and fast rule is that if you like how it looks, then you succeeded in your efforts! ..quote]

That is only good, if you NEVER plan to show your photos to anyone else!. Once you start showing or posting your photos then it would be less than intelligent not to know the basics of what constitutes a good photo.

skieur