Using lens hoods: try it yourself

Aim

You should know what a hood can and cannot do, and be able to fit yours correctly.

Do this step by step

1. Find a scene with a strong light just outside the edge of the frame.
2. Take one photograph without the hood.
3. Fit the correct hood and take the same photograph from the same position.
4. Compare contrast and any flare marks.
5. Repeat with the bright source actually inside the frame and see whether the hood still makes a difference.

One more check before moving on

Repeat the exercise on a different subject or with a different set of photographs. The aim is to make sure you understood the principle rather than remembering one successful sequence. If you can get the expected result a second time and explain why it happened, you are ready to continue.