How Not To Avoid Lens Flares

On those occasions when you are taking a photograph that requires you to direct your lens directly into the sun or some other single point of light, you may encounter a problem with lens flare.  Lens flare will either express itself as a haze, a fuzzy spot, a colorful line across the image, or a combination of the three.

Generally, lens flare pretty much sucks and creates an obvious flaw in your image; though, in a few rare cases, a handsome rainbow thingy might highlight or enhance a subject.

Lens flare can be avoided in most instances.  Attaching a lens hood is probably the most common method of reducing lens flare.  The use of certain filters may be effective in combating flare.  You may also step into a shadow and shoot from there as a way to keep direct light from contacting the lens.  On occasion you might be forced to hold your hand out above the camera to block the unwanted light.

My brother-in-law particularly hates lens flare.  He will do anything to avoid the unwanted light bruising his images.  While reviewing his images from our trip to Bryce Canyon, we came across a few of his shots that captured just a bit of his hand here or there at the top of the image as he attempted to ward off the offensive light.  And then we came across the gem I am posting today.

I asked my brother-in-law to email me a copy of his picture.

The photograph amuses both of us to no end.

It is a keeper.

--Mitchell Hegman