NEF files are the Nikon RAW format.  Canon and the others will have their own RAW format, which might have the extension RAW or something else; however, they essentially work the same.
RAW files are not compressed, which allows you to ultimately print them bigger with better quality than JPG files.  For example, I can print […]

Lens flare is a bright light that causes undesired artifacts in your picture, which is usually a polygonal shape like starbursts, circles, or rings in a row across the image. It can also be in the form of a glare across the whole picture, which reduces contrast. The shape of the lens flare is […]

It’s quick and easy to enter a free contest at The Lens Flare by following these steps:

Login to The Lens Flare by entering your user name and password into the login fields near the top of the page in the blue bar.
Visit the contest page.
Click on “Submit Artwork” near the contest that you want to […]

Using popular forums can significantly increase the number of people visiting your images. By using the comments and criticism (or C&C) forums, you’ll be able to attract a larger audience as well as get good feedback on your photographs.  There are 3 main forums or message boards that I’ve found over the years.
DPReview.com is probably […]

Computers and hard drives crash from time to time. Viruses destroy files, and poorly written software sometimes has bugs that cause files to be erased or modified. Accidents happen that end up deleting or writing over the top of other files. A drink spilled in the right place could cause a short […]

It seems odd that writing a good description of your pictures would get more people to view them, but it’s true. The first reason is because The Lens Flare uses your description as part of its process to determine which categories the picture shows up in.  The code behind TLF looks at all of the […]

By using a good descriptive title, your chances of people visiting your pictures increases dramatically.  You’ll want to keep the title short, perhaps 5 words or less.
Think of a keyword or keyword phrase that you would type into a search box to see a picture just like yours.  Naming your picture “yellow lily” instead of […]

To help you get started as quickly as possible, I’d like to explain how a few of the pages on the site works. First, once you’re logged in, you’ll notice an area labeled Dashboard near the upper right of the page. This will include links and other helpful information.Within this section, the first place […]

There are many categories for viewing photos. Everyone can view them, but you must be a registered member to leave comments on the photos.On the right side of any page you will see the Galleries On The Lens Flare list. When you click on a category you will be taken to those photos. Click on […]