It’s always fun to create dramatic silhouettes, like this image of a Red-winged Blackbird in song. Silhouettes can be bold, graphic, and emotionally powerful. But, one of the biggest challenges when making images like this is dealing with lens flare.
Lens flare occurs when bright light from a strong light source, such as the sun, reflects off the elements inside your lens. Flare can appear in two common ways: as bright polygonal highlights scattered across the image, or as a washed-out haze that reduces contrast and clarity in part of the frame.
Fortunately, there are several effective ways to reduce the appearance of flare in your photographs.
Two ways to reduce lens flare
1. Use a lens hood
Without question, the single most important thing you can do is use a lens hood. A lens hood helps prevent stray light from skimming across the front element of the lens — which is what typically causes the hazy, low-contrast type of flare. In many situations, a lens hood alone can dramatically improve image quality.
The second type of flare — the polygonal highlights — is caused by light bouncing between the internal elements of the lens. To minimise this, consider reducing the number of elements the light passes through.
Prime lenses often perform better in this regard than zoom lenses because they contain fewer glass elements. It’s also a good idea to remove any unnecessary filters, such as UV or skylight filters, which can introduce additional reflective surfaces.
2. Adjust your image composition
Composition can help as well. If the scene allows, you can sometimes use part of your subject to block a portion of the light source, reducing flare while still keeping the backlit effect intact.
In the case of the Red-winged Blackbird image shown here, I waited for a soft, hazy sunset. The atmospheric haze naturally reduced the intensity of the sunlight just enough to allow for a clean silhouette without introducing distracting flare. Sometimes patience and timing are just as important as gear choices.
Understanding flare means you can control it
Understanding how flare occurs and how to control it gives you more confidence when working with strong backlighting and silhouettes, allowing you to focus on shape, gesture, and mood without technical distractions.
Good Luck and Good Light!
Steve & Nicole
Image: Red-winged Blackbird in Song, Kensington Metropark, Milford, MI
Related: New Free E-Book: Photographing Silhouettes Ebook
