Need help! Nighttime photos and flare from light sources.

[Compiux]

How do you avoid light flares? This is what happens to me in pretty much every photo where a light source is there.
http://1drv.ms/1AKU3se
http://1drv.ms/1lqtcyb
http://1drv.ms/1xOJvdE (the flares on the bottom are from the cake's candles)
http://1drv.ms/1xOJSVr (See the TV on the background and the white lamp... and yes, I know my friends are gly haha)

I want to participate in the nightlife photo contest but damn, I can't do it with flares all over the photo ruining it.

I know I'm doing something wrong, I try to play with the settoings but in all honesty, I usually don't know what I'm doing

 

[Dreamspell]

Make sure the camera lens is clean, it can cause that.

 

[WDavis4692]

Yeah that's really bad blur/flare. Usually caused by dirty lens. It's where light gets trapped in the lens and distorts. The best way to clean the lens is with a LensPen kit but a cheap microfibre cloth will suffice. If grime somehow became trapped on the underside of the lens you're in more trouble.

If cleaning lens doesn't work it is possible to have a repair shop swap the camera and see if that fixes it. This would be your last option.

 

[Compiux]

Hmmm didn't think about it. Sounds logic (and also like a lot of bad luck ?ause all my night photos have flares)
Oh, BTW... really important: My phone is a lumia 1020

Anyways, I'll do some tests tonight and see what happens. I'll keep you updated.

 

[Compiux]

OK, so.... lets pretend this thread never existed so that I can feel a little less derp

This is a nighttime photo taken after I rubbed my finger against the lens http://1drv.ms/1uqm8mI
And this is after I cleaned it with my shirt (100% cotton) http://1drv.ms/1pcxsfP

The focus on the second is different, but yeah... my fault... this thread never happened, you're dismissed