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updated: June 18, 2000
photo tip 1Click to go back to Contents page
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Fig. 1 Fig. 2
Photo of sunburst and clouds Sample photo, with lens flares indicated in red
Photo Principle: Light source in your image
Not only is the sun included in Figure 1, creating "Lens flare", but also the emotional effect is enhanced by the scratched surface of the airplane's outer plastic window. Using the scratches to enhance the effect of the sun is an example of turning a problem into a feature (not that I had any choice).

Figure 2 shows the lens flares in red so that you can see the difference between them and the window scratch optical effects. Click on the left photo to see it larger, if you want to see the lens flares more easily. Do not be afraid to point your lens into the sun, provided your camera is not the CCD (Charge Coupled Device) digital type (which can be ruined by intense light).

This is one of the many places where a "through-the-lens" camera viewfinder is essential. If you can't see the exact image that exposes the film (or digital sensor), you won't see where the lens flares actually fall in your photo - and they are important elements of the composition. You can expect to get lens flares whenever you include light sources in your image. They used to be unusual, and thought of as image defects. Now lens flares are a visual cliche, because they can so easily be added digitally.

Exposures are tricky when shooting into the sun. Measure the light from a middle value cloud, or the sky well away from the sun. Then bracket your exposures to increase your chances of getting a usable image. For example, take 5 exposures - the one you think is right, two that are each one f stop more and two that are each one f stop less. Here, a camera that is too automatic can be a problem.










photo tip 2 Click to go back to Contents page
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Photo of dandelions, with sun behind
Photo Principle: Back Light
When shooting into the sun you can sometimes get the powerful emotional effect of this light source in your image, without exposure problems and with minimum lens flare, by arranging a point of view (POV) that places an object between your camera lens and the sun.

This creates Back lighting - a dramatic effect. Back lighting is often used in portraiture to accent a model's hair.











photo tip 3 Click to go back to Contents page
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Photo of weeds, with patterns of shadow and light
Photo Principle: Back Lighting
Back lighting is particularly effective when your subject is semi-transparent. In this photo, an otherwise confusing image is simplified by the strong visual attraction of the pattern of shadows, on the glowing leaf. Without the backlight that created this effect, the image would be too confusing to the viewer.
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Last creative photo pages update: June 18, 2000
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