Prism portraits

Mike Harris uses an inexpensive glass prism and budget lens to add creative flare to portraits

- Mike Harris

The Mission – Learn how to add creative effects to portraits in-camera

Time – One hour

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – Glass prism – Standard lens – Cleaning cloth

Super-high-resolution sensors and near-perfect lenses have gotten us so used to ‘pixel peeping’, you could argue we’ve become slightly obsessed with image quality. But razor-sharp imagery isn’t always the be-all and end-all. You can capture amazing images by introducing distortion and flare – optical anomalies we spend most of our time trying to avoid.

For a creative flare effect you’ll need some basic photographic kit, such as a Nikon DSLR, mirrorless or bridge camera with manual and semi-automatic modes and a suitable lens. A standard prime lens will work best, but you can still capture great results with a kit lens too.

Shooting towards the sun with the lens hood removed is one way to introduce flare into your shots. This will create a diffused, washed out and dreamy quality, great for creating a soft and gentle aesthetic.

But for a more intense look, you can hold an inexpensive glass prism in front of your lens to create flair, diffusion, vibrant distorted colours and reflections. Glass prisms come in all different shapes and sizes and can be picked up online for a few pounds. You can also purchase specialized kits like the Lensbaby OMNI Creative Filter System.