MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I was shooting the sunrise where I live this morning. I used a Canon 70D with a 70-300mm L IS Lens set at 111mm. ISO was 100 at F5.6. My question is how to I prevent the (what I call, because I don't know what to call it) the sun spot at the bottom of the picture. I would appreciate any help. Thank you.

dachs

its internal reflection amongst the many glass elements, OR, you had a front filter such as a UV, which flat planes of glass did a similar thing.
(don't use filters straight into a light)
Even highly expensive lenses do this, and of course the 'bleed' of intense light has misted the whole image too.
(intense light is not all transmitted thru the glasses, a little bit is reflected and bounced around no matter how good the glass coatings are - laws of physics)
Lens hood makes no difference here as you're straight on.
Moving left or right might have taken the 'blob' out of frame, but of course destroyed your intended symmetry.
Take consolation that even you spend another few thousand dollars, this effect would likely still have happened.

edit; Leica's 'Noctilux' is very good at not doing this (look up the price) but even that exemplar will do it in spades, if a filter is left on by mistake, plus it won't fit your camera!

extra edit; sorry to bang on but it follows that zooms, which have many more internal glass surfaces than a prime lens, will be worse at blobbing and veiling glare. If possible, use a top quality prime for this type of shot rather than a zoom.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

do you have a filter on your camera? they sometimes cause this phenomena. There is a technical name for this (when using a filter) but I don't remember what it is.

ncshutterbug

Mike it's a beautiful shot regardless, but if it really bothers you, you can clone it our in Lightroom carefully.

deej

This is commonly called "Sun Flare" and if desired and used correctly it really can enhance a photo. You even can see this effect in some movies. Here are some examples:
http://www.photographyblogger.net/25-excellent-sun-flare-photography-examples/
As stated already. sometimes caused by a filter or protection lens added.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Yes, I have a UV filter on the lens. Thanks for the suggestions.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Thanks for your help. Next time I'll drop the filter. Someone told me 100 years ago always to put a filter on the lens to protect it. Well I have lived and have learned.

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

I was going to say this too:thumbup:
"Use it because you can't lose it"
You might center it in the frame, possibly shoot to high or low allowing it to be cropped out the flare will still be there, but nice and centered.
My first thought was how perfectly level the picture is that demanded all my attention. I had to read it before I new you didn't like the spot :lol: Great job

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Cropping is not something I thought about. Thanks, great idea.

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

What I have done, when looking though the view finder, and seeing the sun flare, is angle the widen the view and angle the camera up, to bring the spot into the sun. Then you can crop the photo to adjust for the new location of the Sun.

Nate Loc: Ann Arbor, Mi.

UV filter notwithstanding, shooting the sun, even as done here, is unwise. It can damage the sensor.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I had no idea. Thanks for the tip.

busted_shutter

These solar flares can occur both ways, using a uv filter or not. It's a common occurence when shooting straight into the sun. Sometimes a desired effect, sometimes not. Don't put off using the uv filter just because.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I won't thanks. I have a lens that got dropped, but because of the filter, only the filter got damaged.

Nate Loc: Ann Arbor, Mi.

What happened can occur to the best photographers,even. So use PS or LR and deal with and not worry about why it occurs. Do that and enjoy the image.