5 Creative Ways To Use LENS FLARES

We all love the aesthetic of lens flares. However, can lens flares help deliver an emotional response? Or are Lens flares just used for stylizing your shotsshots? Find out in this episode of Ask Aputure
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[MeesTW]

One time when I was working on a 48 hour project and we had to make a horror film. I came up with the idea to have most of it in the dark and the only light source would be a LED lantern the main character was holding. Then I used some fishline and saw a nice little flare, which made the shots look much more interesting. We won 2nd place for best film that time, was really cool.

So I guess I like to use them to put emphasis on what's important, which in this case was the main character's tool to navigate. Great video guys.

[kodakkevin]

I embrace lens flares and love them when free lensing! I like the dips of light because they differ between sharp lined flares and more milky, soft circular orbs of flare. Makes any hallucination or dream scene that much more fantastical!

[jpostproductions]

I like when flares add depth to the shot by accenting different planes of light. For example a desk light on a far away desk that flairs can make the background feel more interactive rather than a flat image.

[eschirtz]

I love using lens flares as transitions. You can do it with plugins, but the best is when you find them naturally while editing!

[mattr]

I use lens flares for real estate videos to add character to a room as well as lifting dark shadows to make a room feel more open, bright and inviting.

[VizionZine]

I think lens flare is just another visual element of story telling. When used in an organic and natural way it can help to convey heightened emotion or feelings such as nostalgia especially when combined with slow motion. The eye is drawn to brightest element in the frame so as long as it is done with intention and forethought I think it can be highly effective as well as quite beautiful.

[EricMerrow]

I like using light leaks/lens flares in my gear demo videos to jump between live playing and beauty shots. So my videos are largely me playing a song using the piece of gear in subject. When I want to jump over to a beauty shot where I overlay text info about the gear I'll use a light leak or lens flare to make that jump. My goal is to signify a different type of info/setting by using the lens flare, otherwise I generally cut between shots within these two types of settings in my videos.

[HomeHoodFilms]

i love those Anamorphic Flare!
i don't own them! but the Easy Cheasy Fishing line works fine

[Luckylukeproduction]

I think you forgot the most basic one. FLASHLIGHTS LENS FLARE! When using a flashlight with lens flare gives that spooky and mysterious feel, most recently used in the movie IT.
When they used lens flare from the flashlights it really escalated the fear in the scene!
THANK YOU
I watch everyone of your videos

[lermmysquirm]

Another way i like to use lens flares is when i shoot music videos. especially with hip hop or electronic when the tempo is of a fast pace and also the edit. Adding flares to the video is that cherry on top that can bring everything all together. Although its important to know in any situation when its necessary to use lens flares rather than just to do it just because it looks cool.

[Bubblegummonsters]

This is going to sound like a stupid question.
But in every camera manual I've ever read, it always says don't point the camera directly at the sun. I always assumed it was because it may burn out the sensor but then I see a lot of shots that are directly into the sun for lens flares and silhouette so I guess this is just the manufacture being over cautious?

[dorianblank]

Sun lens flares can make a landscape scene more natural, in contrast anamorphic lens flares can make your practical lights more sci fi.

[ab]

0:55 Tomb Raider LOL! These were some great examples of lens flares usage! I like when lens flares are used in dramatic scenes or the climax of the movie. Not too much though, just enough! Excellent segment Aputure! #ATEAMWINNING!

[ChaoticMatters]

I embrace lens flares when it's not distracting. Sometimes you'll get a tiny lens flare that looks like a mark on the image. Gotta get rid of stuff like that, but I nice big lens flare is always beautiful!

[mrmikeyg]

Put a piece of fishing line vertically in front of the lens to give you that anamorphic lens flare look...that's my favorite.

[erikamia]

I like taking of advamtage of lens falrees to help give a realsim to a scene, expecially outdoor scenes. When I was first starting out, I sometimes noticed wierd flare reflections in my footage and later realized that you can't get flares while the UV filter on a lens is on.

[Nqrgaard]

I think that flares are amazing and a great but hard tool to master to get the perfect flare. When done in realtime it has to be perfect. But I really think that a flare makes a certain feeling better that you are trying to show in the video. Especially in music videos where a beautiful backlight of colors show the same colors in a flare and very nice when the background is also blurred😊
I just made that in a music video today

[tonygarcia]

Use lens flares for transitions or edit points and it can add that needed bit of "flaire" to an edit. (If the story calls for it)

[TannerRogers]

I tried to use fishing line to get more lens flares but it doesn't work for me. I definitely prefer flares though

[msutherlandj]

I definitely try to avoid them unless they're motivated by the scene itself.