Reply To: Lens Flare?

[stef]

Flare has a place, and I’ve intentionally shot portraits with it, but that’s rare. You also need the right lens for it, because the flare qualities change on lens and settings, and the direction of the light.

 

Most of the time, flare is a mistake or a cheap lens. It harms your contrast, making your lens perform much worse. Intentionally using it for art purposes is fine, but it’s like smearing vaseline on the front element. Think of it like that the next time you shoot into the sun.