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Sunday Photoblogging: Lens Flare Over Malibu

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


It's not often that I can make lens flare work for me, but when it does, I think it really does. With more practice, hopefully I can turn shots like this from happy accidents to fully intentional creative uses of lens flare. This photo was taken on August 23, 2011 in the Pacific Palisades, in the hills above Malibu. The only editing was some small brightness/contrast tweaks.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel XTi

Lens: EF-S18-55


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ISO 100, 18mm, f/22, 1/80sec.

Jason G. Goldman is a science journalist based in Los Angeles. He has written about animal behavior, wildlife biology, conservation, and ecology for Scientific American, Los Angeles magazine, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the BBC, Conservation magazine, and elsewhere. He contributes to Scientific American's "60-Second Science" podcast, and is co-editor of Science Blogging: The Essential Guide (Yale University Press). He enjoys sharing his wildlife knowledge on television and on the radio, and often speaks to the public about wildlife and science communication.

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