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SD40-2 and Flare

Keeping the sun’s rays from hitting the front element of the lens is a key to making successful back-lit digital photos.

For this pair of images, I was working with my Nikon Z7-II at Port Clinton, Pa. I liked the SD40-2 ‘snoot’ (with the extended nose section built for 1970s-era solid-state radio control equipment—nearly 3 feet longer than the nose on a conventional SD40-2).

Below are two versions. The top shows sun flare. For the bottom photo, I manually shaded the front element to minimize flare. One of the advantages of digital photography is being able to immediately examine the results for imperfections and compositional snags.

Reading & Northern SD40-2 3058 is former Union Pacific 3246. I wonder if I’ve crossed paths with this machine in my travels across the West?
Controling flare and adjusting contrast and level made for a superior image of Reading & Northern 3058. Exposed in late autumn sunshine using a Nikon Z7-II.

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