A lens hood is an accessory that attaches to the front of a camera lens to block or reduce the amount of lens flare and glare in photos by acting like a visor for the lens. It shades the front of the lens to keep light from falling across the lens and causing unwanted flares and a washed-out, low-contrast look. The main purpose of a lens hood is to stop stray light from coming onto the lens, which can create lens flare and give images less contrast. This normally happens when shooting into the sun or when there is a strong light source in front of the lens. The lens hood is creating a shadow over the front element of the lens, thus blocking the light from hitting it.

In addition to its optical benefits, a lens hood can also serve as a way to protect the lens from damage as well as from the elements. It can help protect the lens from sustaining damage that stops it from working properly, such as cracked glass. Lens hoods can provide an external layer of protection against accidental impacts, scratches, fingerprints, rain, snow, dust, and other debris. They can be particularly useful when shooting in harsh weather conditions, where you don’t want it to affect your lens while taking photos.

Lens hoods come in two shapes: petal-shaped and cylindrical-shaped. Petal lens hoods have the corners cut away and are used on standard zoom lenses. They are also used for shooting with ultra-wide-angle lenses. Cylindrical lens hoods are fully circular. The type of lens hood you use will depend largely on your camera’s sensor shape and the lens you connect to your camera.