Flare in my photos and pale sky color?

[ir_swaps]

Hi,

I realise that there are some sort of "flare" in my photos. Is there anyway I can prevent that? Below are some examples.

Also, the color of the sky is a tab bit softer than what I see through the viewfinder. How can I improve on this? Sorry, newbie to photography so still trying to learn as I go along. Appreciate all your help.

 

[Witness]

use a lens hood or a piece of paper to block out the flare..

 

[blurblock]

Pic 1 ...... Shooting at the sun is a automatic ticket to flare.
Pic 2 ...... The sun is right on top of you .... A. Use a Hood, B. Wait for the sun to go away
Pic 3 ...... Underexpose the picture by 1/2 stop will give you slightly darker sky

 

[Clockunder]

The sky will appear washed out if the contrast between the sky and the other subjects in the picture is too great. This is because the camera's sensor can only capture a very limited no. of stops in exposure. If the contrast is great and the surrounding is properly exposed, the sky will be recorded as more towards extreme white areas.

So either you use software (e.g. photoshop. i.e. select the sky and apply adjustments such as brightness/contrast, colour balance or filter to the selection) to make the sky more blue/less bright or try to shoot when the contrast is not so great during certain times of the day (when the surrounding is very much brightened by sunlight).

 

[yyD70S]

The sky will appear washed out if the contrast between the sky and the other subjects in the picture is too great. This is because the camera's sensor can only capture a very limited no. of stops in exposure. If the contrast is great and the surrounding is properly exposed, the sky will be recorded as more towards extreme white areas.

So either you use software (e.g. photoshop. i.e. select the sky and apply adjustments such as brightness/contrast, colour balance or filter to the selection) to make the sky more blue/less bright or try to shoot when the contrast is not so great during certain times of the day (when the surrounding is very much brightened by sunlight).

Or use a good GND if you wanna minimize pp.

 

[ir_swaps]

Wat does GNP and pp stands for?:dunno:

 

[VR2]

pp - post process
GND - neutral density? i guess it is..

 

[haagen_dazs]

also
invest in a good circular polarizer.. gives very nice deep blue skys.
getting a hood for the lens would help reduce flare problems.

 

[lsisaxon]

pp - post process
GND - neutral density? i guess it is..

Graduated ND.

 

[ir_swaps]

Thanks all for the tips. Will definitely get a lens hood when I finally decide which new lens I wanna get ;p

Just as a side-track, how often do you guys post-edit your photos?

 

[dreamerz]

Thanks all for the tips. Will definitely get a lens hood when I finally decide which new lens I wanna get ;p

Just as a side-track, how often do you guys post-edit your photos?

its a workflow....as long as u go digital u will need to pp ur pix...jus like in the old day ppl pp their flim in the darkroom...

 

[jopel]

Just as a side-track, how often do you guys post-edit your photos?

when I'm doing nite duty...

 

[blurblock]

Graduated ND.

Some call it Gradual Netural Density Filter too ......