Went for a walk around Ladybower on Sunday and took the camera with me. Was playing with the aperture and stuff taking a photo of this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hook85/2374802965/) letterbox. Unfortunately the sun was shining right behind the thing, and there's some flaring(?) on the lens. I couldn't really change the angle, so in future what else could I do to prevent the same thing happening?

Thanks folks (:

Nice backlight! Tho I have to say it would look better on a blushing bride in a filmy dress!

Well you seem to have done the obvious - got the sun directly behind it - must admit I can't see any significant flare there.

Could go back at a different time of day.

It all depends on what you want of the shot... a perfect 'record shot' of the letter box? Or something a little more artistically inspiring? (I guess an old letter box must inspire SOMEbody!)

Buy a MacBook and try adjusting it with Aperture www.apple.com/aperture (there maybe PC programs available) and it should stand out much better.

Good luck!

PS: I had a play with Aperture on your photo, if you drop me your email I will send you an updated image of yours.

I am by no means a professional in this area so dont shoot the messenger but it does make a huge difference.

C_A_Harrison@yahoo.co.uk

I took a crap photo today too. Came back over the Snake very early this morning and caught the sun at a low angle lighting up the haze in the air but cut off by the hills - looked spectacular as I drove under it. But by the time I stopped and turned round, parked and walked back to grab it, the sun had risen just that bit too much and all I got was this (http://www.impinabox.co.uk/photos/oddpics/img_1637.jpg). Mind you - the tree looked good - riimmed with light and with the slanting haze-light behind it - but even that was disappointing in the end - here (http://www.impinabox.co.uk/photos/oddpics/img_1643.jpg).. Ah well - maybe next time!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v672/jinksterchris/2374802965_9be31654d8-1.jpg After Aperture


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v672/jinksterchris/2374802965_9be31654d8.jpg Before Aperture

Hope the links work!!!

a little fill-in flash would easily remedy the problem, without the need for any post work.

Buy a MacBook and try adjusting it with Aperture www.apple.com/aperture (there maybe PC programs available) and it should stand out much better.
Odd advice!? :confused: Especially as you could buy a more powerful PC for same price and with a much bigger choice of software.
Besides a lens hood or using one's hand to flag the sun may eradicate problem altogether and is very cheap compared to buying a new laptop.

Here's the image tweaked in Photoshop to reduce the flare.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/2378315945_5458862a27_o.jpg

Thanks Folks, much appreciated.

Jezzy, that looks MUCh better.. what did you play with in PS to bring out the colours like that? (:

CHarrison. I have a MacBook, and I have photoshop too. I've downloaded the trial of Aperture, but I haven't had chance to play with it. Doubt I can afford another £129 when I'm thinking of getting a niftyfifty (:

Jezzy, that looks MUCh better.. what did you play with in PS to bring out the colours like that? (:
IIRC, I used 4 adjustment layers. Hue/Sat to boost colour, and 3 different levels layers to get contrast back - 1 levels layer to do overall contrast and then a couple more levels layers to alter more specific parts of image to counter the flare.
Image was also sharpened up a tad as it looked a bit soft.
Very quick and easy to do. Most of this you can do in Lightroom and probably all of it in LR2 [in beta at moment].