“That’s Flare?!” Had a person exclaim this last week at Photoshop World when I answered their question, “Why does my image look flat and colorless?” I post this image taken a couple of weeks ago which I think is a classic example of flare in action. The top of the frame is normal, the bottom part of the frame has flare contamination. The lions mane around his ears has contrast and color, the lower mane is flat and colorless. I could see this in the viewfinder and took this photo just to illustrate the issue of flare. Shooting with the 800mm (D4s), I had the tiniest pinch of direction sunlight striking the bottom of JUST the front element (no other elements in the lens). That light was enough to cause the most common form of flare which for most photographers, is really hard to see in the viewfinder. In the case of the lion, to remove the flare, I asked that the vehicle be moved forward just one foot and that solved the problem.
When it comes to flare, this is what most photographers think of. I call them UFOs, Unidentified Flaring Objects. This occurs when a light source is able to strike multiple elements in a lens. These orbs can be a pain in the ass or, if you plan on them, an accent to your photograph. In both of these photos, what you see is what I wanted. In the case of the lion, I wanted backlit to make it glow as much as possible. When you go there, you have to expect flare, watch for it and work the best you can with the elements at hand to make the shot. In the case with the Super Corsairs, I wanted that visual line of the flare, the little extra drama and knew the red of #57 would grab the eye over the flare (shot with D3x / 70-200VR2). So flare is not a bad thing if you recognize and work with it. If it’s an accident, well then you risk an image not living up to its full potential.