Picture defects

[tomlehane]

Hi All!

Very new to DSLR photography so stupid question no. 1 follows. flickr link

The two photos in the set above have some obvious problems, most noticeably the glare issues (if this is what they are!). I'm in need of help to eliminate this issue and would also like to understand exactly what it is.

These pics were taken with a 450D and the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II I recently purchased.

Perhaps a hood or filter would help - I'm just unsure so would like some advice before attempting to solve the problem incorrectly myself!

Thanks in advance
Tom.

[ap4a]

A few things can help minimise flare - clean the front element of the lens, making sure there are no smudges or finger prints and no dust spots; avoid using a filter if you can; use a hood (you can buy a proper Canon one for a Canon 50mm f/1.8 for around £10); and avoid shooting directly towards sunlight where possible.

Looking at those 2 images I would say the most likely culprit is a dirty lens. Give it a clean and try again, see how you go.

[tomlehane]

Thanks for your reply!

The lens was definitely not dirty but I will give it a good polish anyway. Seems like a hood is at least a good starting point, coupled with the tips about shooting towards the light source.

Thanks again!
Tom.

[Matthew Bromley]

The flare you are getting in these photos does look a little odd. It may be due to the bright window off to an angle. One thing to check is that is that if you have a UV filter, that it is correctly screwed onto the front of the lens. A friend of mine once had the threads crossed on the filter and got odd flares in every photo.

You can always use you hand to shield the front of the lens from light coming from out of frame.

You did right getting the 50mm though, happy shooting!

[ap4a]

Originally Posted by tomlehane

Thanks for your reply!

The lens was definitely not dirty but I will give it a good polish anyway.

A lens can look clean, but smudges can go unnoticed. Stand in front of a bright window and angle the lens into the light and take a look, then change the angle a little at a time so that you can properly see all of the lens in the light. It's a bit more difficult with the 50 f/1.8 due to the small sized, and recessed, front element but it should help show up things you might otherwise miss.

[GeoffWessex]

Would there perhaps be a mirror or glass door behind and left of camera? It looks like a bounced but directional (narrow) light beam coming back into the shot.

Of course, then there's the general exposure problem.... the window behind the subject has totally confused the camera's meter .... well, not confused it but influenced it by 'telling' the camera that it doesn't want too much exposure - so the camera's given less. However, the subject does need it.
Alternatives? (in my order of preference)
Use reflectors (or big white cards/sheets of paper) beside the camera, bouncing light back on to the subject;
Reduce the amount of window area visible in the shot;
You could meter for the subject only, letting the background burn out in a bright white area;
Use Flash (a very last resort). Studio lighting with flash is one thing - on-camera flash is just a horrible relation.

[Sekonic]

it is a little odd but i suspect the bright window light causing flare. For portraits indoors use the light coming into the room and fill-in using a reflector rather than shooting against the light. Try the same shot with you standing wioth your back to the window and see if the same effect happens, which I suspect it will not.

[OldBoy]

Each lens has a number of glass elements inside to focus the light, and because you are shooting at a slight angle from the brightest source of the light then, I suspect you are getting stray light bouncing around between the glass elements. You should be able to see this when taking the shot in the viewfinder. You need to slightly change the angle to avoid this problem. It's more noticeable when shooting towards the sun and is known as lens flare.

[KeithT]

One of the problems with wndow light is that it back-lights the subject and throws it into silhouette. Some compensation is needed. There are a few ways this can be achieved. Unless I want window burn-out I do this: take a reading from the window and note what the settings are. Now take a reading from the subject and again note the setting. Now set the camera manually somewhere between the two readings to balance it out. The compensation will probably be around plus or minus 1 stop. With fill-in flash I would lock exposure on the window light and use the fill-in flash to light the subject.

As far as flare is concerned, always use a lens hood. Never use a cheap filter which may not be coated to reduce flare, and always check your optical viewfinder if you have one, because flare can usually be seen there before you press the shutter button. If you see it, reposition your subject until you get a better composition.

Use of window light: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amazons...n/photostream/

[tomlehane]

Thanks for the tips all.

I was actually trying to reproduce the problem in these shots, having seen it to a lesser degree elsewhere in my pictures.

I will ensure the lens and UV filter are both smudge free, invest in a hood and keep your other, tips in mind.

Thanks for the detailed responses - I certainly have a good first impression of these forums!

Cheers
Tom.