If you’re new to photography, you may be wondering what’s the big deal with lens hoods. Here’s a quick two-minute breakdown of why exactly you’ll find them attached to lenses everywhere.

In the video above, David Bergman for Adorama has some basic knowledge to share about how lens hoods can, at times, actually help to create higher quality images. Their main purpose is for blocking light sweeping in from an angle which can create a lens flare effect and reduce the contrast in images. Certainly there are times when this kind of look is actually the goal, but a lot of the time the effect can be too distracting in an image or overpowers the subject.

So does this mean you should be taking it on and off, carrying around this extra piece of gear everywhere you go? Not necessarily. Bergman also has good reason to keep his lens hood on at all times: protection. Check the full video for solid information about an essential piece of kit.

By the way, can we all appreciate this $1,000 lens hood from Nikon? So dreamy.

Cover photo by slon_dot_pics via Pexels.