Fluorescent Lighting Flare

[sbryan]

Is there a way to eliminate flare and discoloration caused by fluorescent lighting? I need to do some commercial photos of local data centers soon.

The obvious answer: shoot high and level angle. However, low angles show supporting infrastructure, like cooling and cable trays.

A high angle would show this too, but it was hard enough to get the clearance in the first place!

 

[egproductions]

If your worried about flares you can try the following:

• Shoot without any filters on your lens (these can trap light)
• Balance out the ambient lighting with you own flashes. Make sure to put gels on your own lighting to match the current color temperature of the florescents.

 

[sbryan]

I do shoot without filters normally for office settings.

I can experiment with your second suggestion.

Also, how do you meter between stark black server racks against impossibly white floors and walls?

Underexpose black by 1/2 - 1 stop?

 

[Thomas Lew]

Interesting. I didn't know filters cause flare.

:bath:

 

[sinapps]

HDR works wonders under flourescent lights.

 

[egproductions]

filters can cause flare under certain lighting. Even a UV filter. You are essentially adding more glass to your lens which gives more chance of light to get trapped.

The reason balancing the florescent lights with your own flashes could help is because you are effectivly exposing for the florescent lights rather than letting them overexpose to the point of a lens flair. That's why when you shoot a silhouette against the sun you reduce or eliminate the flair from the sun..since you are exposing for it.

HDR would be a good option for retaining your highlights and shadows that you were concerned about and you can also keep the lens flairs in check with this method. If you light properly with flashes you can achieve an in camera HDR effect as well.

I don't know if you have done tests with the florescent lighting but in my experience, I haven't had to worry about lens flair unless the lighting is bright enough to flair up. I would think florescent lighting would give you the least issues since they are generally broad lights rather than concentrated and bright.