Small white ghosting shadow while filming with sun behind me!

White Airwolf · Oct 16, 2016

seems when Fly late afternoons with sun low and behind me, I get this small white ghosting of an image over the terrain below.
When I pan say 90 degrees, it seems to go away!
I'm using ND filters.
Anyone else experience this? I would say ghost image is about 5 feet across on the ground. Quite annoying.
I'm wondering if it could be a reflection of some kind or perhaps the ND filter is not up to par?

Kilrah · Oct 16, 2016

Yup normal physics/light issue. Nothing you can do but avoid those angles.

There's a name for that effect, but I can't remember it.

EDIT: Glory (optical phenomenon) - Wikipedia, Brocken spectre - Wikipedia

The Editor · Oct 16, 2016

White Airwolf said:
seems when Fly late afternoons with sun low and behind me, I get this small white ghosting of an image over the terrain below.
When I pan say 90 degrees, it seems to go away!
I'm using ND filters.
Anyone else experience this? I would say ghost image is about 5 feet across on the ground. Quite annoying.
I'm wondering if it could be a reflection of some kind or perhaps the ND filter is not up to par?

It's called the opposition effect and there are a few threads already on the subject.
There is nothing (and I mean NOTHING) you can do about it and is caused by light travelling in (mostly) straight lines and how it is reflected at different angles from objects.

The Editor · Oct 16, 2016

Kilrah said:
Yup normal physics/light issue. Nothing you can do but avoid those angles.

There's a name for that effect, but I can't remember it.

EDIT: Glory (optical phenomenon) - Wikipedia, Brocken spectre - Wikipedia

No - that's different to the opposition effect which is what is causing the brighter 'spot' on objects exactly in the same plain as the observer.

Opposition surge - Wikipedia

White Airwolf · Oct 16, 2016

I don't think either response is correct here.
It only seems to be present late in the day when I can see the shadow of the Inspire on the treetops or ground.
The Wikipedia explanations refer to mist and clouds and celestial objects, which this clearly isn't related to, as the spot appears while flying on both sunny and cloudy days.

Kilrah · Oct 16, 2016

The Editor said:
No - that's different to the opposition effect which is what is causing the brighter 'spot' on objects exactly in the same plain as the observer.

Opposition surge - Wikipedia

Backscatter was the term I was looking for, thanks!

Meta4 · Oct 16, 2016

White Airwolf said:
seems when Fly late afternoons with sun low and behind me, I get this small white ghosting of an image over the terrain below.
When I pan say 90 degrees, it seems to go away!
I'm using ND filters.
Anyone else experience this? I would say ghost image is about 5 feet across on the ground. Quite annoying.
I'm wondering if it could be a reflection of some kind or perhaps the ND filter is not up to par?

This is what you are looking at: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...cr&ei=1iAEWLawHqzM8gfeoL6IBw#q=Heiligenschein

Highrpm955 · Oct 16, 2016

I first noticed it after I started using a Polarized Filter. I've not ever gone back to the stock glass, so I can't say that would be a factor.

InspiredOne · Oct 17, 2016

First time I saw this was in a passenger jet while looking out the window. Saw it many time thereafter while traveling.

When I saw it on my Inspire 1 videos, I knew exactly what was happening, although I wasn't expecting this to happen.

Djud · Oct 23, 2016

When I fly a hang-glider (so I am there in the air, not just the camera) it is the common effect that the pilot can see down below. Actually if there is more than one glider in the air at closer distance (quite often since we all need the same vertical thermal wind) and accordingly more shadows on the ground, you can very easily determine which shadow is yours - just by seeing the glowing halo around just one shadow, yours.