Have you ever noticed bright circles or lines in your photos when taking pictures in sunlight or near a strong light? That is called “Lens Flare”. Some people use it for a creative effect, while others try to avoid it, Here is a complete information on What is Lens Flare, types, How to avoid ?, and How to create on purpose ? and more.
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What is Lens Flare?
“Lens flare” is the kind of a light effect that appears in photos when a strong light source, like the sun, hits your camera lens directly or at an angle and create some hazy, or circular motions in your pictures.
Instead of focusing the image directly, it scatters inside the lens, creates some unwanted streaks, hazy – motion effect, or circles near the object you have captured. Lens flare can add aesthetically dreamy feel to the photos. But it can also wash out colors, reduce contrast, or distract from the main subject.
What Causes Lens Flare?
Lens flare can be seen because of light reflections inside your camera lens due to many reaasons. Modern lenses have many glass elements inside which causes the reflections at different points. For example When strong light hits these elements at certain angles, it bounces back, around and spreads all over, by creating flare.
What are the common causes of Lens Flare?
- Shooting directly towards the sun or any bright light source such as high lights in studios or capturing water in a day.
- Cheap or uncoated lenses are the reason too, because it allow more reflections due to less quality.
- Dirty or scratched lens surfaces,can also create flares in low light too. Because dirty or scratch surface tend reflect in uncontrolled path which scatter light more.
- Using filters, like especially with low quality ones, which add another glass surface for light to reflect from.
Types of Lens Flare
There are mainly two types of lens flare:
- Ghosting (Artifact Flare): Ghosting flare shows up as circles, hexagons, or shapes in a line across your photo. These are reflections from the lens elements creates shapes.
Example: Multiple light circles across a photo when shooting towards nature in sunny day
- Veiling Flare (Haze): Veiling flare looks like a white or colored haze that covers parts of the image. It reduces contrast and makes the image look washed out.
Example: When your photo loses color and detail around a bright sun.
How to create Lens Flare on Purpose?
Follow these pro tips to create lens flare right now:
- Shooting towards the Light: Place the sun or a light source just outside or partly inside your frame. Try different angles until the flare appears where you like it.
- Aperture settings: Using a apertures settings to bw wide by setting it as f/2.8 or f/1.8 in professional cameras to make flare look bigger, softer, rounder and better.
- Use Older or Prime Lenses: Older lenses or prime lenses without modern coatings can create more natural flare which looks so aesthetic.
- Remove the lens Hood while capturing: The lens hood is for blocking the flare. Removing the hood can help the light hitting your lens directly.
- Add Filters or Vaseline (for Creative Effect): Some photographers use clear filters and smear a little Vaseline around the edges for dreamy, hazy flare. (Be careful not to damage your lens it can actually create some problem)
How to avoid or Reduce Lens Flare?
If lens flare is ruining your photo, there are ways to prevent or reduce it:
- Use a Lens Hood: Lens hoods are made to block unwanted light. They’re especially helpful in outdoor photography.
- Change your angle: Move slightly left or right, or tilt your camera. Small changes can affect the flares.
- Clean your Lens regularly: Dust, fingerprints, or smudges make flare worse. Use a cloth which is soft to keep your lens clean and clear.
- Use better quality Lenses: High quality lenses have special coatings that reduce internal reflections and flare.
How to remove Lens Flare in Editing?
- Use the Clone Tools like (Photoshop, Lightroom)
- Adjust Contrasts and Shadows present
- Remove Color Casts in the photos
- You can use AI Tools (Optional)
Lens Flare in Different Photography Styles
Lens flare looks different depending on your subject and style:
- Portraits: Flare can add warmth or a dreamy look if used carefully.
- Landscape: Flare from the sun can make a sunset photo magical or ruin it by washing out the image.
- Night Photography: Light flares from streetlights can either add interest or cause distractions.
What are the benefit Lens Flare?
- It can creates mood and emotion.
- It ads artistic light effects.
- You can look natural and unedited.
What are the disadvantages of Lens Flare?
- It reduces sharpness and contrast in picture.
- It adds unwanted artifacts.
- It distracts from the main subject.
Conclusion
Lens flare is a natural part of photography while working with strong light. Whether you love the glow it gives or want to avoid it completely, but by knowing how it happens and how to control it can make your photography better. Sometimes, that soft circle of light can be the magical which can turn your photo from good to great and aesthetic.
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