Are you seeking to capture the best sun flare photography? Then you have come to the right place to get detailed information on how to do it. This article covers step by step process, pro tips, techniques, and the most suitable camera settings for shooting lens flare images.
Sun flare images look beautiful, but many people struggle to catch good flare images. Here you will see step-by-step processes to shoot beautiful flare images either as a beginner or as a professional seeking to try this type of photography for the first time.
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Before we start, if you are a beginner in sky photography, you might be interested in starting in learning how to photograph the sun and make it look large in photos.
Now, let us get started with sun flare photography.
Quick Camera Setting For Sun Flare Photography
- ISO – 100-200
- Aperture – f/22
- Shutter Speed -15-30 seconds
- Focal length – 18mm
- Mode – Manual
- White balance – Auto
What Is Sun Flare Photography?
Sun flare photography is a type of photography that captures the sun as it rises or sets. It is a photographic phenomenon whereby the sunlight enters the camera lens and scatters upon hitting the sensor.
Also called lens flare photography, it is usually done with a wide-angle lens and often with a polarizing filter to maximize the reflection of light off something, especially water.
I’m Glad You’re Here! Photography is a fascinating art form that allows us to capture and preserve moments beyond imagination in time. However, for beginners and amateurs, getting started with photography can be intimidating, especially when it comes to choosing and using the equipment and techniques to follow.
Click below to read a comprehensive article for beginners to master the basics of capturing moments beyond imagination.
How To Capture The Best Shots?
Capturing the best shots of this photographic phenomenon can be difficult because they are unpredictable. But here are some ways to increase your chances of catching good photographs:
a. Choose a subject:
Sun flares are a variety of images caused by the reflection of sunlight on the surface of something. Therefore, you will need a lit subject to begin lens flare photography. You can take shots from behind a tree or any corner; nonetheless, ensure to get maximum light into your camera.
b. Shoot directly into the sunlight:
You create a sun flare image when you point your camera and shoot straight into the powerful rays of light, causing a burst upon hitting your camera.
c. Fix your camera on the lit subject:
Focus on the lit object within your frame. This could be a tree, rock, a person’s shoulders, or water surface.
d. Adjust your aperture:
Your aperture opening determines the kind of flares you will get. So, if you are interested either in soft or defined flare images, set your aperture according to your preference.
e. Use filters
Filters can help eliminate unwanted reflections in your images and protect your camera sensor against sunlight. Suitable filters to use are the polarizing filter and neutral density filters.
f. Take different shoots
You can take shots from different angles to determine the best positions.
Tools Needed for Sun Flare Photography
1. Light source:
Light is the most vital thing in any style of photography. But, the sun is the key light source in lens flare photography. You will need a good light source to take lens flare images. So, find a location with a suitable amount of light and set up your equipment.
2. Camera:
A DSLR or an interchangeable lens camera with an adjustable aperture is most suitable for this role.
3. Tripod:
Sun flare photography requires shooting at a lower ISO and smaller aperture, so you need a tripod to balance the shutter speed and small aperture opening.
4. Remote triggers:
Camera triggers are always recommended for various sorts of sunlight photography, especially when shooting at a lower ISO and smaller aperture, to prevent camera shakes and blur images.
Camera Settings
1. shoot in manual mode:
While capturing sun flare images, you need total control over your camera. Setting your camera in auto mode gives it more authority, and it could produce dark photos. You wouldn’t want your photographs to be dark, so shoot in manual style.
Sun flare photographs are more beautiful when they are bright and radiant. Shooting in manual mode allows you to capture bright flare images. In addition, the manual mode also allows you to have control over all your camera settings like the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and the rest.
2. Aperture:
Use a narrow aperture opening like f/22 and a wide focal length like 18mm. A smaller aperture opening allows the blades inside your camera to close down, creating a smaller hole for the passage of light. This smaller hole causes slight light diffraction that results in flare images.
3. Focal length:
A wide focal length like 18mm contributes to the size of the sun flare photographs. A wider focal length can create larger and well-defined images, while a pinpoint focal length would result in smaller sun flare photographs. However, this is utterly dependent on your preferred sizes.
4. ISO:
Keep your ISO between 100 and 200 to avoid noisy images. By photographing at a lower ISO, the images will appear less noisy.
5. Shutter speed
Sun flare is a manipulative form of photography, so you can try out different shutter speeds to determine the most suitable for you.
Professional Tips
Here are some tips that can help you create professional-looking sun flare photos.
A. Choose the right day
What’s the right day for sun flare photography? The perfect day to do lens flare photography is on a bright or sunny day. So, keep an eye on the weather. Ensure the clouds are clear and the sun is shining brightly before heading out of your apartment or studio.
B. Wait for the right time
You cannot do lens photography at any hour of the day. The right time to capture crisp sun flares is at sunset or sunrise. Some people prefer shooting at sunset when the light is lower, while some shoot at dawn when the sunlight has high intensity.
C. Obscure the sunlight
Sun flare images are crisper when taken from behind objects that hide part of the sunlight from sight. Hiding the light behind an object ( like a tree branch, rock, person’s shoulder) makes the sun flare to spread across different angles and stand out. Directly photographing the sun can make the lens flare appear as a circle with a white center, surrounded by concentric rings of color. Therefore, it is recommended to take photos of sun flares indirectly by photographing something else and allowing the sunlight to shine on it.
D. Use filters
Ensure to protect your camera lens and sensor from the intense sunlight. Lens exposure to direct sunlight can permanently damage the sensor of your camera. Do not point your camera directly at the sun. You can use certified camera filters such as the B + W 43mm UV Protection Filter, and Tiffen 67mm Circular Polarizing Filter.
E. Use live view
For the safety of your eyes, look at the sun through a live view. If you have to look at the sun through a viewfinder, ensure that the camera is already filtered with a certified solar viewing filter. Do not look directly at the sun with your eyes unless you are already wearing a certified solar viewing glass.
F. Experiment with different apertures
The most pivotal thing in sun flare photography is the aperture. The aperture opening determines the quantity of light that will pass through your camera lens. Try to take shots with different aperture openings until you can discover the right one for your location, settings, and angles.
G. Ensure to keep your ISO lower
To prevent grain that could reduce the clarity of the sun flare. Shooting at a lower ISO contributes significantly to the clarity and quality of the images.
H. Pick the right lens
You can create sun flare with any lens, but the sharpness and clarity of the images are dependent on the level and type of lens. Lower quality lenses will create soft lens flare, while high-quality lenses will produce well-defined and epic sun flare.
I. Set your camera right
Ensure your camera settings are according to the recommendations before shooting. Then, proceed with some test shots. Test shots help you to determine whether to adjust your camera settings or not.
Best Camera Lens to use
As earlier mentioned, you can shoot lens flare images with any camera lens, but the quality of the photos would differ across various lenses. We have compiled a list of lenses that can produce top-notched sun flare photographs.
1. Canon EF 16-35mm F/f/2.8L III USM Lens
The Canon EF 16-35mm is a wide-angle lens distinguished by a rebuilt optical design. This lens belongs to the Canon L-series lens. It has a 16-35mm focal degree that produces superb, high-quality, and crisp images. The EF 16-35mm lens comes with a maximum f/2.8 aperture that makes it suitable for outdoor photographs at dusk. It has 9 blades circular aperture that allows the production of clear images from its zoom range or blur backgrounds. The lens is also dust and water-resistant, making it ideal for shooting in harsh weather conditions.
2. Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens
The Sigma 20mm Art Series is an ultra-wide-angle lens with a focal length of 20mm and an F1.4 aperture that delivers brilliant large-aperture brightness and sun flare, providing a remarkable visual experience. This lens is one of the most suitable lenses for outdoor photographs, night sky shootings, and bokeh effects.
3. Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 LII USM lens
If you are confused about the kind of lens, to begin with, the canon 24-70mm is the best fit. It has a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range, making it able to make the most of any available amount of light. The fixed aperture also gives you total control over the depth of field. In addition, the lens comes with a 9-blade circular aperture that makes the sunlight stand out against the edge. This implies that you can still shoot crisp sun flare images from behind the well-defined edges. The Canon 24-70mm lens also provides firm manual focus allowing you to stay in control.
These lenses are more robust, durable, and efficient for sun flare photography. The possession of a 9-blade diaphragm enables them to give a more circular aperture and well-defined flare photos.
There is no cause for worry if you do not have any of these lenses. You can do this type of photography with any lens, including your present camera lens; however, ensure to follow all the tips mentioned earlier.
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How To Create Sun Flare in Photoshop?
Here is a step-by-step guide to adding sun flare effects to your images through photoshop
- Open photoshop on your Pc and drop your picture
- Create a new layer, click on edit> fill> and fill it with 50-70% gray,
- Make the blending mode overlay,
- Click on Filter>Render> Lens flare. Pick the type of sun flare effect you want to create.
- Set the sun flare effect in your desired positions on the picture and click Ok.
FQAs
What Is the Best Time to capture Lens or Sun Flare Photos?
The best time for capturing sun flare photos is during sunrise and sunset when the sun is lower in the sky and reflecting off water, sand, or snow.
Can I Shoot Sun flare Photos Without Adding any other Object?
Yes, you can; but it would be a bit challenging. You can capture a sun flare without including any other objects by using a wide-angle lens and getting as close to the object as possible.
How Can You Get Rid Of Sun Flare In Your Images?
A good way to get rid of sun flares is by using an ND (Neutral Density) filter on your camera lens. This will limit the amount of light coming into your lens and reduce or eliminate any unwanted reflections.
You can also try using a polarizer filter on your camera lens. This will help reduce any glare that might be present in your image, which could include reflections from water, windows, or other surfaces.
What Are the Best Cameras To Use?
DSLR cameras or cameras with interchangeable lenses are the best cameras to use for sun flare photography.