frockstar

One lazy Sunday afternoon my brother noticed something unusual in the sky. It looked like an eclipse.

This was taken using Canon 400D. No camera filters or Photoshop manipulation here.

It’s somehow scary to see something like this. Is it an omen? Signs of the times? Holy shit…I think I’m being bestowed some supernatural powers.

Hehehe. I asked around and this natural phenomena is called Solar Halo:

A halo (also known as a nimbus, icebow or Gloriole) is an optical phenomenon that appears near or around the Sun or Moon, and sometimes near other strong light sources such as street lights. There are many types of optical halos, but they are mostly caused by ice crystals in cold cirrus clouds located high (5–10 km, or 3–6 miles) in the upper troposphere.

Now in Graphic Design this commonly known as the filter/effects in Photoshop - Lens Flare. Lens flare is another one of those optical phenomena commonly used in photography to give a sense of high drama to compositions. Lens flare filters were introduced in Photoshop 5.0. Later on it was one of the most abused filters in Photoshop second only to Bevels & Emboss. I’ve seen ads of cereals, fruit bowls, derma clinics using Lens flare to somehow weird extent.

These filters are handy (when used in the proper context) but that doesn’t mean you can use them with every project your working on. Filters are great tools but just like what it was said in Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time, a place, a turn for every one.

These are some ways NOT to use lens flare when it’s obviously impossible for the optical phenomena to occur in such circumstances.

Awww. (Images from Sxc.Hu)

Now this is a good alternative use for such filters

Comic Strip by Penny Arcade

If I was a character in Heroes I think I would want the power of multiple lens flare to outshine and defeat villains. But that is power fit for a sidekick rather than superhero. Now I ask this question, which is worse, multiple lens flare ability or being only powerful underwater like Aqua Man?