Sun Flare!
I had seen pictures, which I adored, with these little "sun bubbles" (as I called them) shining past the subject; creating a new, colorful dimension to the photo. I HAD to learn how to do this!!! First off, learning what these "sun bubbles" were called, in all their technicality.... My dad and I googled and flickr'd until we found our answers.
These were my favorites: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/5-tips-for-achieving-artistic-lens-flare-how-to
and from one of my mom's favorite blogs, http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2009/06/sun-flare-for-beginners/
Also, I found that sunset/sunrise are really great times to get perfect sun flare.Here's my go at it!!
Does learning how to create sun flare make me one step closer to becoming a professional? Who cares?!)