Train by Chris 1977, on Flickr

Ok – where do the weird circles come from in this photo? There was no flash.

Not my photo incidentally, though you can just about make me out in it!

**edit** I have a suspicion, but I’m far from sure.

Looks like rain/moisture on the lens to me.

I don’t *think* it’s that, there are other shots with the same lens that were fine.

looking at the figure on the right it seems to be a long exposure

dust in the air reflecting light?

Dust, reflected light, or moisture.

It’s photo faeries

It was a long exposure. It *could* be reflected dust, but the light’s coming from the left and slightly in front of the camera so I don’t think so.

My best guess is that it’s actually dust on the lens, that’s only showed up ‘cos the shot is at such a high aperture – f/29. Does that make sense?

I like RD’s answer best though!

Is that two people on the right? or ghosts!?

Is there a glitter ball in your camera?

Looks like it was taken through a window to get the spots and the red person reflected back.

PaulD

it’s lens flare, you can see the irregular shape of the iris diaphragm blades.

Definitely not taken through a window. The person on the right is blurry ‘cos it’s a long exposure.

Lens flare does make sense. And would be exacerbated by the high f stop, I guess.

the source is the window and specular reflections on the left hand side of the train, probably exacerbated by small particles on the front of the lens. (or maybe even inside)

Possibly lens flare, REALLY dirty sensor (unlikely), lens fungus, general dirty/wet lens?
To me it looks like flare on a filthy lens, but could be wrong.

Dirt/dust on an ND filter (used to get the longer exposure?), but taken off in subsequent pics?

Lens flare comes from light sources in or near the frame doesn’t it? There would have to be an awful lot of small ones to get flare like that. I don’t think it is.

Dust is my suggestion. Given that they are all the same size that would point to them being all in the same plane, so someting on the lens showing up due to lighting conditions.

Having said that, they look vaguely diaphragm shaped, so perhaps it is flare after all.

Tricky innit?

I was there when the photo was taken, and it definitely wasn’t flash (as backed up by the EXIF). My best guess is that it’s dust on the lens that normally wouldn’t show up that’s visible ‘cos of the extremely high f stop giving a really wide depth of field. It does LOOK flarey though, so who knows. Knowing the lad who took it though, it’s very unlikely to be a really mucky lens. And I took shots from similar positions with nothing like it, and I’m pretty sure my lenses are dirtier!

I reckon train ghosts 😀

stopping down will stop some flare but it’s not the cause of the flare in your image.
it’s specular light from inside your field of view reflecting off dust close to the lens (or on the front element or a filter)each speck creates a pinpoint of light.
it’s not “vaguely diaphragm shaped” it is diaphragm shaped as i can count the number of blades (7) and it’s a cheap lens as the shape is irregular. if you can’t see that you need to get to specsavers.

I said vaguely diaphragm shaped as it is irregular. I don’t think it’s fair to insult my eyesight based on me noticing the same thing as you.

MrSmith is right imo. A dusty filter would be my guess.

I don’t think it’s fair to insult my eyesight based on me noticing the same thing as you.

‘kin newbies!!! 🙄 😆

one born every minute 🙄

It’s ghost orbs imo.

they are the auras around mosquito ghosts.

it’s specular light from inside your field of view reflecting off dust close to the lens (or on the front element or a filter)each speck creates a pinpoint of light.

Close.. I think it’s specular light from OUTSIDE your field of view, and probably highly oblique on the lens, so it’s not causing flare.
If you look at the pools of light on the ground from the windows, then there’s probably another one just about where the camera is sat.

I will be deeply, deeply shocked if it’s anything on the lens.

If you look at the pools of light on the ground from the windows, then there’s probably another one just about where the camera is sat.

The light source looks irregular too. Look at that window, it’s not a flat panel of clear glass.

I will be deeply, deeply shocked if it’s anything on the lens.

so what exactly is being illuminated very close to the lens to create the flare?
there’s no pane of glass just in front of the camera.
each diaphragm shaped aberration is the same size suggesting each foreign body and the light it is reflecting into the lens is the same distance from the lens and very close to it.

maybe they are midges fling in formation carrying tiny bits glitter?

Airborne dust maybe. Dunno.

I wasn’t disagreeing with you, I think your explanation is bang on; I’ve just seen lenses in a right state which have produced perfect pictures. Looking at it though, they do seem to be a similar ‘depth’ so maybe it is reflection off lens cruft as you say.

Was there a protection filter on the lens?

Sorry should have said my guess would be a light sorce picking up dust on lens filter or front element of the lens

It’s photo faeries

^this

Yup, dust on lens / filter, exacerbated by sideways light from the window. If it’s a long exposure and you’re using slot-in filters, you can get reflected light off the back of the filter that really increases just how noticeable this is.

You know when you look at your lens and you’re surprised just how filthy it is when you’ve not been seeing it in the photos? Well, this is one of the situations where it does affect things, badly.

one born every minute

Not one of me 🙂