..:: Portrait at sunset (Backlit) ::..

[Mersad]

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[gdogg16]

Very nice, I'm a sucker for a good back lit portrait.

 

[skieur]

The lens flare is unfortunate. I find that a lens hood and small aperture works for me to prevent it, but it also depends on the particular quality of the lens and its characteristics.

skieur

 

[gdogg16]

The lens flare is unfortunate. I find that a lens hood and small aperture works for me to prevent it, but it also depends on the particular quality of the lens and its characteristics.

skieur

It also depends on whether or not you like lens flare. I happen to be quite fond of it. It's all subjective.

 

[skieur]

The lens flare is unfortunate. I find that a lens hood and small aperture works for me to prevent it, but it also depends on the particular quality of the lens and its characteristics.

skieur

It also depends on whether or not you like lens flare. I happen to be quite fond of it. It's all subjective.

Well, I am sure that there are probably a few people who like photos with major technical flaws like blurred subjects or bad exposure as well, although certainly not enough to change basic expectations/standards in photography for pros or experienced enthusiasts.

skieur

 

[gdogg16]

The lens flare is unfortunate. I find that a lens hood and small aperture works for me to prevent it, but it also depends on the particular quality of the lens and its characteristics.

skieur

It also depends on whether or not you like lens flare. I happen to be quite fond of it. It's all subjective.

Well, I am sure that there are probably a few people who like photos with major technical flaws like blurred subjects or bad exposure as well, although certainly not enough to change basic expectations/standards in photography for pros or experienced enthusiasts.

skieur

What a boring world this would be if nobody thought outside the box, if everything was technically perfect, if there were no room for artistic license.

 

[Mersad]

I also have some without the lensflare (also backlit, it's on my blog (link in signature)) but i like the flare too. Thanks gdoog16 for backing me up on this. I do appreciate your comment skieur, but i wouldn't say that lens flare is a major technical flaw. It's often used to liven up the image and create a mood. Here the sun was setting and nothing better to show that off then the golden rays behind her.

 

[LaFoto]

Hi Mersad, long time no see (which was entirely my fault, I know).

I'm half with you, half with Skieur: the golden rays BEHIND her do emphasise the mood of this photo taken at sunset ... but it is the rays that creep in front of her face that distract (they do distract me, that is). I really like the light of a low sun to outline the hair and all, but I feel her face is not being flattered by the amount of light that is creeping in front. See what I mean?

 

[Foxman]

FWIW I like the shot and would be proud of it.

 

[skieur]

Look at the flare closely. It causes the eye to be blurred and washes out the skin colour, although there is also an over-exposure problem too, which does not contribute to the image or the mood.

The image of the same person on the front page of your blog/site is even more over-exposed with the skin on her hand and face being totally washed out.

Technical flaws are usually considered artistic license by either those that are new to photography or those that wish to assert their amateur independence from following any "rules" or recognizing basic "standards".

I assume that everyone is interested in improving their photos, but I am not always correct in that assumption.

C'est la vie.

skieur

 

[Derrel]

Lens flare is what it is. What concerns me the most is the cropping off of the top of her head. Not only is the top of her head lost, but the skyline in those rocky hills or mountains is also lost, and I think some of the photo's context is also lost--she appears to be atop of a hill or mountain summit, at sunset time. I think her head overlapping the background skyline would have really helped further the impression of being high on a mountain top, with the sun setting behind her. The in-camera exposure looks just right for a backlighted person. The flare reduces overall contrast,and shifts the colors...if you don't like lens flare this is a bad picture, but if you do, it's not a bad picture. There's no doubt that without the flare, the image would look very different. Some people really go out an actively try and use this kind of flare. In this case, I think the flare's okay...but the top of her head being cropped bothers me.

 

[gdogg16]

Technical flaws are usually considered artistic license by either those that are new to photography or those that wish to assert their amateur independence from following any "rules" or recognizing basic "standards".

I find this comment to be absurd and saddening that someone actually thinks this way.
You're right though, award wining photographers never use or embrace lens flare.

 

[gdogg16]

Lens flare is what it is. What concerns me the most is the cropping off of the top of her head. Not only is the top of her head lost, but the skyline in those rocky hills or mountains is also lost, and I think some of the photo's context is also lost--she appears to be atop of a hill or mountain summit, at sunset time. I think her head overlapping the background skyline would have really helped further the impression of being high on a mountain top, with the sun setting behind her. The in-camera exposure looks just right for a backlighted person. The flare reduces overall contrast,and shifts the colors...if you don't like lens flare this is a bad picture, but if you do, it's not a bad picture. There's no doubt that without the flare, the image would look very different. Some people really go out an actively try and use this kind of flare. In this case, I think the flare's okay...but the top of her head being cropped bothers me.

Well said.:thumbup:

 

[Mersad]

Thank you all for the input. Yes, Derrel maybe I should have left her head in completely. I guess i wanted to focus more on her face. The goal wasn't really to show the location, i just tried to explain the sunset. But next time i'll try to go with your idea. It is what it is now.

As I said previously, the flares add a nice touch for me. And as much as some people try to be the professionals here, fact is: it's much harder to incorporate them into the shot and create a nice flare then to cover them up. Here is another image without flares in her face: Mersad Donko Photography - The wonderful mixture of life and fiction: ..:: Backlit portrait ::..

 

[Mersad]

Here is another one i did without flare: