Help with the sunsets

[janef]

I was out taking some shots of an incredible sunset the other evening. When I uploaded them they had the glare from the sun in them - how do I prevent this, and manage to take the shots without the glare runing it?

Many thanks

[Matthias099]

One word: Lens hood! Okay, maybe two . . .

[PhotoNewt]

A lens hood is certainly helpful and will provide great results when the sun (or other strong light source) is not included in the shot itself.

When photographing sunsets the sun is usually a part of the photo, there are a few things that have worked for me in the past.

1. If you use a UV filter to protect your lens, you may want to consider removing it for the shot as it will increase the chances of getting a flare.

2. Wait for the sun to be as close as possible to the horizon (or better partially below the horizon), the intensity of the sun light is lower at this time.

3. Try to place an object (i.e., tree branch, statue, person or other) between the sun and the camera, this can create a nice silhouette with a very pleasant glow around it. If you use a person, you always have the option of firing your flash to fill in and capture the person against an amazing sunset - makes a great portrait (be sure to play a bit with the flash exposure control so you get the right amount of fill in flash for a pleasant effect).

4. If you like to shoot sunsets with the sun in the frame, consider purchasing or borrowing a wide angle prime lens (single focal length); zooms usually have more glass elements increasing the risk of flares. Also note that consumer grade lenses may be more prone to flare as opposed to higher quality ones - also wide angle primes usually are designed to resist flare more than telephoto lenses.

5. Finally, once you frame your sunset, check the scene though the viewfinder using the depth of field preview function, flare will be visible and will allow to recompose the image.

Also note that all flares are not bad; you can see flare throught the viewfinder as discussed above before taking the shot, you can change the aperture and/or recompose the scene to include a flare for creative purposes on your image.

Hope this helps.

[janef]

Originally Posted by Matthias099

One word: Lens hood! Okay, maybe two . . .

Lens hood - used it, still didn't make much difference! But thanks for answering though

[janef]

Originally Posted by PhotoNewt

A lens hood is certainly helpful and will provide great results when the sun (or other strong light source) is not included in the shot itself.

When photographing sunsets the sun is usually a part of the photo, there are a few things that have worked for me in the past.

1. If you use a UV filter to protect your lens, you may want to consider removing it for the shot as it will increase the chances of getting a flare.

2. Wait for the sun to be as close as possible to the horizon (or better partially below the horizon), the intensity of the sun light is lower at this time.

3. Try to place an object (i.e., tree branch, statue, person or other) between the sun and the camera, this can create a nice silhouette with a very pleasant glow around it. If you use a person, you always have the option of firing your flash to fill in and capture the person against an amazing sunset - makes a great portrait (be sure to play a bit with the flash exposure control so you get the right amount of fill in flash for a pleasant effect).

4. If you like to shoot sunsets with the sun in the frame, consider purchasing or borrowing a wide angle prime lens (single focal length); zooms usually have more glass elements increasing the risk of flares. Also note that consumer grade lenses may be more prone to flare as opposed to higher quality ones - also wide angle primes usually are designed to resist flare more than telephoto lenses.

5. Finally, once you frame your sunset, check the scene though the viewfinder using the depth of field preview function, flare will be visible and will allow to recompose the image.

Also note that all flares are not bad; you can see flare throught the viewfinder as discussed above before taking the shot, you can change the aperture and/or recompose the scene to include a flare for creative purposes on your image.

Hope this helps.

Newt

Thanks for the reply.

I understand what you say about putting an object in the way, but this sunset really didn't need anything else.

As for the DOF button, I've tried using it before, it didn't seem to show me anything unless of course I was using it incorrectly or not understanding what I saw. Both, of these are completely plausible for me?!

As for more lenses - think hubby will flip if I suggest that one ................

Jane

[jiminyClickit]

janef,

Not sure about all the conditions at the moment you took said photos, but I have found the negative exposure compensation can often just darken enough to make the glare/flare lessen to insignificance. Or I'll simply walk left or right until the angle is better. It depends, ya know?

[janef]

Originally Posted by jiminyClickit

janef,

Not sure about all the conditions at the moment you took said photos, but I have found the negative exposure compensation can often just darken enough to make the glare/flare lessen to insignificance. Or I'll simply walk left or right until the angle is better. It depends, ya know?

St Click...........

Again as with Newts suggestion of using DOF button, neg exp compensation isn't something I've tried to play with, perhaps this is the next thing to work on, especially as there was an article in Amateur Photographer this month on it. It's taken me ages and loads of reading to get where I am now, a little more can't help!

[billy320]

I just set it on the sunset mode, it really brings out the orange

Focal Length: 22.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400)
Aperture: f/11.0
ISO Equiv.: 100
Exposure Bias: -0.70



Focal Length: 171.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO Equiv.: 100
Exposure Bias: -0.70

[private]

You have a sunset setting on your camera - very nice. Can you post the exif and what the setting on your camera are? In my camera, for example, I have an area for picture style, and then when I click on it, there are some presets for landscape, portrait etc...but the Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation and Colortone can be changed for all photos. I was just hoping to copy b/c your photos are really nice.

[billy320]

http://www.olympusdigitalschool.com/...ets/index.html