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Does this flare add or detract from the photo?

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Meetmer

Meetmer

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7ce5fa5a530c4d4490b9f7eafa8e518a.jpg
 
For my taste it does not add to the photo. If the flare was ending on a specific focal point of the scene it might add, but in this image it just ends on the boardwalk with nothing there. Was this image as captured or was the flare added in post?
 
No, all my images are SOOC jpegs. When I originally shot it I thought the flare would add to the mood surrounding the lighting conditions at the time, but I am not sure now if the flare ruins the shot, is it neither here nor there, or if it actually adds something. I also thought it was cool that the flare ray of light seemed parallel to the hand railing on the right. Thanks for your opinion.
 
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For me it detracts because the highlights channels are completely clipped
 
That is a good point. Unfortunately that’s because I only shoot jpegs not Raw. The rest of the image is exposed to my liking however. I’ve always wondered, and maybe u can answer this, if I choose the jpeg+raw setting on the camera, isn’t it a nightmare to keep track of all the different copies? Example, I like to review my jpegs on my iMac and delete the jpegs I don’t want right off of the SD card so I don’t have to copy them to my hard drive. But how would I remember which jpegs I deleted and then delete the corresponding raw files? I like jpegs because I can easily transfer them to my iPhotos.
 
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I do not see that flare adding any value to the photo and it does distract

Morris
 
I always record Fine JPEGs and compressed RAW

Most of the time for ordinary shots I use the JPEGs. When more refined PP is needed i use the RAW It is not a nightmare it just takes some space but now external HDD of 2 terabytes are cheap and it gives you flexibility

I record both ONE THE SAME SD CARD for simplicity

Again 64 Mb Sd cards are cheap now It means that for each photo you get a couple of files, so it is easy to keep or delete each couple

Hope this helps

Bob
 
Detract.
 
I keep looking for the Arc of the Covenant and since it's probably not there, it detracts from the photo.
 
Yes it does, that makes the most sense. Does the camera keep the files side by side on the SD or separate according to file type? Is there a naming convention so you know which raw is paired with a jpeg? I just use preview on the iMac so I don’t think you can even view raws so I look at the jpegs
 
That is too funny. Not one person likes the flare I guess that helps
 
They have the same name (prefix) DSCF ****.then either RAF or JPEG
 
My non-professional opinion is that as-presented, it detracts:
  • It washes-out a rather large chunk of the upper-left of your photo
  • It casts a light streak right through the middle without "doing anything interesting"
If the sun was streaming through the rigging of one of the moored sailboats or through the railing of the dock / casting shadows across the wood or creating visible beams through the morning mist - then perhaps it COULD add.

I also think that your photo could be improved with a little tweaking of "Shadows and Highlights" to bring-out some of the detail on the dock wood, etc.
 
Now I wish I would’ve been able to get rid of the flare when I took that picture because I otherwise really liked the picture. I was hoping someone would find something interesting about the flare but no one does so back to more picture taking I guess

thsnks all
 
Hey - thanks for sharing

Yup - the general consensus appears to be a pretty FIRM "NO" on that one.

This is yet another example of how we can all learn from others' experiences.

When you ASK for it around here - you'll usually get honest, straight-forward critique / advice (sometimes it can be a bit "brutal" - so just be careful what you ask for...)
 
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I’m ok with that. Here are some additional images from my outing that day that do not have flare issues. All taken in Sausalito, CA. SOOC jpegs

2a289995da6f467fb7341960e1db2c50.jpg



e484d85601884149b7383cbafd167b0a.jpg



8e1f9dfee81a493f937a352fb14b3062.jpg



c7aa6313e0b44f6fb8246d6ee19d6cc9.jpg



188a9741621a4f77aa8627d92fe16d88.jpg



7ba7f2ffba2d4dcc9fe013cc8b57fdc1.jpg
 
It seems like I am coming a bit late to the party, but I would have to agree that it detravts from this image. Were the flare of different size/intensity/location etc it could possible have helped.

For example, that streak could play into the rest of the image such as following a prominent line already there. Imagine the lines of the pier and the streak perfectly parallel or something similar.
 
Meetmer said:
Who cares what others think. Was it your vision of a good image? Are you happy with it? You will always get a split decision with these questions.
Click to expand...
 
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