Awesome Flare Photos as Design Inspiration

Gone are the days when people select through limited templates or designs for their artworks or projects. The surge of online flyers, brochures and sticker printing services has increased the options for art enthusiasts and designers to personalize their own items. So when I saw the flare photos I took with my camera, I pictured how my next project would be.

I have not been that familiar with flare photography until now. At first, I was actually more interested in creating vintage-looking photos in very light hues and tones. One day, while I was shooting with fellow amateur photographers on a prairie during sunset, my photos accidentally caught some sunlight as if light exploded on some parts of it.

Surprisingly, it created an interesting effect on the photos I have taken. So instead of relying on accidents to make another batch of edgy flare photos, here are some tips I have found useful to achieve this effect whenever I like:

Daniel Horande Photography

1. Turn your camera into manual mode.

If your camera is on automatic mode, it will immediately counteract the excessive amount of light that is captured. The result will be a silhouette and the flare will be impeded.

2. Direct your camera into the sun.

While aiming, position yourself in front of your subject in a way that can also capture the sunlight.

3. A flare can be achieved through rays of light that bounces on your lens, creating a burst of light. You need to observe the direction of your light source to get the right amount of effect.

4. Imagine how the silhouette should be cast.

The subject should be backlit by the sun to create the flare.

5. Adjust and maintain camera focus.

The camera focus should be set on the brightest object on your frame. This means you have to control your focus so that it stays with your subject and not the bright backlight.

6.Shoot at an angle.

You wouldn’t want your images to be overexposed. In this case, you need to consider the time and the position of shooting with the sunlight. You can shoot directly into the sun on mornings and evenings, but make sure it’s at 11AM or 2PM respectively. Try to position yourself closer to the ground.

Flare photography is a useful technique among professional wedding photographers or even amateurs. It is relatively easy to learn since all you need to do is experiment your shots in bright light exposure.

Flares are not only achieved with sunlight. You can focus on street lamps against a dark background to create multiple spots of flares. Usually, washed out or hazy effects are observed while shooting through sunlight. Try to be creative in shooting at an angle from your light sources and flares can be achieved.

Here are some fascinating flare photos you can use as your inspirational designs. They can be fresh backgrounds for flyers, brochures and posters. They are also fresh new looks for photo and sticker printing outputs. Let your creativity shine!