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lens flare

DIYP Quiz: Can you guess the lens based only on its lens flare?

Feb 13, 2023 by Dunja Djudjic Leave a Comment
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Sometimes we see lens flare as a nuisance, but it can also be a deliberate creative decision that adds mood to our photos. I’m sure you’ve had it in your photos, deliberately or by accident, and with different lenses.

Each type of lens has its recognizable type of flare, and today we’re here to test if you can tell them apart. In this fun quiz, you can test yourself and see if you can tell the lens based only on its lens flare.

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5 Tips for Stunning Lens Flares

Sep 17, 2022 by Chris Lin Leave a Comment
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A lens flare occurs when light reflects off the surface of a lens or other bright object and strikes the camera sensor. Lens flares typically happen when the camera is pointed towards a bright light source, such as the sun or a camera flash. When captured unintentionally, a lens flare can cause unwanted distractions and reduce contrast over the affected area of the image. However, when used creatively and with intent, lens flares can create a dreamy, romantic, and aesthetically pleasing effect in an image and add interest to an otherwise bland photo. In this article, we’ll give you 6 tips for lens flare photography to use on your next photoshoot.

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Cinematic lens-flare filter comparison

Apr 7, 2021 by Jake Hicks Leave a Comment
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Clearer, sharper, brighter!

In recent years, we’ve spent a lot of money investing in expensive camera tech and lenses that produce flawless and crystal-clear imagery (ironically, that’s a dated expression given that we actually want images to be a lot clearer than crystal). But, is it really necessary? Do we really need to remove all traces of the image making process from our photographs? Have our images lost some of their uniqueness along the way?

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How to quickly remove flare in Photoshop without cloning

Feb 20, 2019 by Ole Henrik Skjelstad 2 Comments
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To shoot directly into the sun is both challenging and fun. Challenging because it can be difficult to control the light and, not least, our images are very often marred by sunflare. One simple way of avoiding flare is to shoot an extra exposure with one finger or more obscuring the sun.

Admittedly, it happens that I forget to follow that simple step, or I am too lazy or I believe that clouds or mist sufficiently diffuse the light so that the lens won’t produce any flare. In the example below I believed that mist would prevent any flare. I was wrong something which became very evident when examining the raw file in Lightroom.

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What are lens hoods really for and how do you use them?

Feb 21, 2018 by John Aldred 5 Comments
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If you listen to folks on Facebook, you might think that lens hoods are designed as some form of mystical lens protection. They’re often touted as the alternative to UV filters as a way to defend your lens against the evils of the world that might otherwise turn it to glass dust.

But, no, their primary function is actually to flag stray light from entering into your lens and causing flare. In this video from Adorama TV, photographer David Bergman talks about lens hoods, when you might want to use one and when you might not.

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5 ways to avoid lens flare with studio lighting

Feb 14, 2018 by Jake Hicks Leave a Comment
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If you’re unfamiliar with what lens flare is then it’s the hazy washed out areas in an image that appear far brighter than they should do. You usually can’t see flare with your own eyes but when you take a shot, there it is and often it’s an undesired effect that can ruin several aspects of your photo including contrast.

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How to get rid of four different types of flares

Jul 21, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic Leave a Comment
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Sometimes flare is a matter of artistic preference and choice. However, there are plenty of instances when we don’t want it in photos. Koldunov Brothers show you four different types of flares, and the methods to get rid of them. In some cases, there are only minor improvements. But in the others, the difference is pretty striking.

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Quiz – can you match the lens to the flare it creates?

Jun 1, 2016 by Stefan Kohler Leave a Comment
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Do you like lens flares? And I don’t mean those CGI flares. No sirs! We are talking about real lens flares made with real vintage lenses. Are you sharp enough to match the lens to the flare?

We know that it’s not easy because we made a lens flare package with real lenses and real flares for composites and adding a punch to photos. But even after playing with those lenses for a few days it was not easy to match a flare to a lens.

Hit the jump to test your flare to lens matching powers.

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Tutorial: Add a realistic lens flare to a photo in seconds

May 25, 2016 by Udi Tirosh 3 Comments
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Looking around it seems that technology is at its peak (well, read this in two or three years and laugh, but for now…). Cameras are almost noiseless, lenses are tack sharp and resolution is blowing off the roofs. To top it all, lenses have micro coating and nano coating eliminate any distortion.

And what do we do with those hyper-real photos? We apply Instagram filters and Nik filter. Then we post them online. Kinda funny, no? Gear makes are chacing optical perfection while the world is moving back to the 70’s and 50’s “damaged look”.

Stefan of the Image Manipulation Store came up with a fast and clever way to add realistic flares to any image in seconds. The cool thing is that they are no computerized, and are derived from real old lenses. (see video below)

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Is It Ever Okay To Add A Lens Flare In Photoshop? Yes, And Here’s How To Do It

Nov 21, 2014 by Tiffany Mueller 1 Comment
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Photoshop makes adding lens flares to a photograph an incredibly simply task which is, both, good and bad. Though they can add a creative touch to a photo, lens flares can also be a great way to turn a good photo bad (really quickly). We’ve all seen those awkwardly placed lens flares that result in more confusion than awe. Luckily, we have Aaron Nace, who nicely explains when they should and shouldn’t used in this 15 minute tutorial. After he offers us his guidance on when to use a light flare, he’s kind enough to do a walk through of the process of actually doing so.[Read More…]

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Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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