Preventing Lens Flares at Sunrise/Sunset

[C4talyst]

I took this photo yesterday on the Skyline Drive in Virginia. I was using a D3100 w/ the 18-55 kit lens, tripod, and remote shutter release. How can I prevent or somewhat suppress a lot of the lens flare that occurred here? Would a better body, glass, or filters have helped?

Also, how can I lessen the sun's ability to drown out the entire shot when photographing sunrises and sunsets? I was toying with a dark Hoya NDx8 filter and the camera's exposure value settings when shooting the sunset yesterday, but I'm definitely not getting the same great results I see others accomplishing.

Thanks!

 

[raventepes]

Ideally, a lens hood would have been used for that shot, but I don't think Nikon makes one for the 18-55. My suggestion is a new lens, but what to get would really depend on what your budgetary restrictions are and what focal range you want. If I were in your situation, I'd go for a Sigma 17-55, which is one of the least expensive options, or even a Nikon 18-105. Both come with a lens hood.

 

[KmH]

Nikon ships the 18-55 kit lens with a lens hood.
A lens hood is ineffective at preventing lens flare once a bright light source is in the image frame.

Lens flare is reflections inside the lens caused by air gaps between lens elements
High grade lenses have coatings that help to minimize lens flare. .
If you put any kind of filter in front of the lens you also add at least 1 air gap.

Any bright light source in or near the image frame can potentially cause lens flare.
A primary lens hood function is to block bright light sources near the edge of the image frame. A lens hood is ineffective at preventing lens flare once a bright light source is in the image frame.

Photographers use graduated neutral density (GND) filters to block some of the light from a bright light source at or above a horizon.
Again high quality GND filters have coatings that minimize lens flare, but the GND adds an air gap.

Another approach is to make 2 images, one exposed for the sky, one exposed for the land, and blend them post process.

Some also make an HDR image, which is 3 or more exposures made to compensate for the restricted dynamic range of the image sensor in a digital camera which are then combined post process.

 

[C4talyst]

Ideally, a lens hood would have been used for that shot, but I don't think Nikon makes one for the 18-55. My suggestion is a new lens, but what to get would really depend on what your budgetary restrictions are and what focal range you want. If I were in your situation, I'd go for a Sigma 17-55, which is one of the least expensive options, or even a Nikon 18-105. Both come with a lens hood.

I don't think lens hoods help in situations where the sun is directly in the shot your taking. I thought they were more for those times when indirect light from the top, bottom, or sides can get into the lens.

Photographers use graduated neutral density (GND) filters to block some of the light from a bright light source at or above a horizon.
Again high quality GND filters have coatings that minimize lens flare, but the GND adds an air gap.
Another approach is to make 2 images, one exposed for the sky, one exposed for the land, and blend them post process.
Some also make an HDR image, which is 3 or more exposures made to compensate for the restricted dynamic range of the image sensor in a digital camera which are then combined post process.

Thanks. I only own one GND filter and haven't played with it much; I will test it out the next time I have a chance to catch a sunrise or sunset. I haven't messed with HDR yet. I don't mind a little lens flare, but thought this one was a bit obnoxious.

 

[KmH]

Many landscape photographers have a 3 GND filter set - 0.3. 0.6, and 0.9

By stacking 2 or more filters, they then also have 1.2, 1.5, and 1.8.

An alternative I neglected to mention is editing away the lens flare.