….is bad.

Or is it?

“Flare” is what happens when an incoming light source throws light into your lens – you are perhaps not using a lens hood, or you are using a filter (which can increase flare) and you have a close light source.  The picture loses contrast. Which is usually to be avoided.

But sometimes you use deliberate flare for effect. Like in this image – the favourite of my model in today’s shoot (and that shoot explains why this post is so late):

I like the flare in that – my model loves it.

How would this look without flare? Maybe in B/W? Like this:

So – try to add a little flare in some pictures every now and then for effect. Just aim next to a strong light source.

(Incidentally, that light source here was an off-camera speedlight – I aimed it towards me.)