I'm just curious as to when to use filters? I often use a polarizing filter when I do waterfall photography, but would I ever use one on Avian/Flora photography? What filters are used for what and what filters do you all use often? Thanks for the replies in advance, this forum has helped me leaps and bounds.
Posted by Bill Fach on February 25, 2007 at 9:47 AM
Kyle: While I rarely use a polarizer with my flora subjects, there are occasions where I use them to increase saturation and remove reflected highlights from foliage or textures. An example is this shot
Posted by William Vrolyk on February 25, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Kyle, Darwin Wiggett's article Filters for Outdoor Photography in the Nature Photography 101 section of our NPN community is very informative.
Polarizer filters take away unwanted glare on water and other wet, shiny surfaces, saturates colors, and gives definition to skies (clouds stand out better). I never take my polarizer filter off my lens.
Graduated Neutral Density filters are essential for landscape photography so I do not want to be without them either.
Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Posted by Guy Tal on February 25, 2007 at 10:31 AM
The only filters I use are a polarizer and a graduated ND. Like Will mentioned, polarizers are extremely useful for removing glare and not just on water - they work very well on reflective rocks, shiny leaves, etc.
I generally don't use the polarizer to its full effect, almost always backing off a little to maintain the mood of the scene.
I'll just a few tidbits to those Bill and Will have already provided...
You don't mention if you are shooting film or digital. If you are shooting film, then filters other than the polarizer and graduated neutral density filters (NDGrad) become more important.
There are filters that change the color balance of the light hitting the film (or sensor). There are warming filters (81-series), cooling filters (80-series) and CC (color correcting filters) that fine tune color balance.
There are also filters for use with black and white photography: Red, yellow, green, and orange. These filters are used to alter contrast on the negative.
In addition to these, there are special effects filters that provide a variety of effects.
In todays world of digital photography, filters (with the exception of the polarizer,some special effects and neutral density types) have been replaced with in-camera color balance adjustment and creative tools available in imaging software. Having said this, you can still use filters to obtain the desired effect at time of capture, rather than in post-processing.
Since I am still using film (4x5), filters are very important in my work, and I use them only when needed. I do not keep a filter on the lens for protection except in conditions where blowing crud, snow or water will have the potential for causing harm.
As Will indicated, Darwin's article is excellent, and there are also many resources on the Web that you can research for more detailed information.
I will add that often after using a polarizer, I will make further adjstments on skies and clouds in Photoshop using the Selective Color adjustment- whether to increase or decrease the effect. Similarly, in photos shot without polarizers I'll use SC to add the effect.
I particularly like SC for this job because it is so controllable, allowing small refinements that are hard for me to manage in the field with filters.
I regard Photoshop in the same light as I do filters. Just one more control to help me show viewers what I think the photo should say.
Posted by Kent Staubus on February 25, 2007 at 12:48 PM
I use a polarizer for about 75% of my daytime outdoor photos. I love the saturation it gives colors. Like Guy, I generally do not use them to max effect when the sky in the scene. About the only times I don't usea polarizer is when I have a fast moving subject, or I need the shutter speed.
Kent in SD
Posted by Alex Lofquist on February 25, 2007 at 4:52 PM
One situation that few people are aware of is when shooting rainbows.The light of the bow is completely polarized! To determine the angle for strongest effect, adjust for maximum extinction of the rainbow, then rotate the filter 90 degrees (either direction, it makes no difference).
I have seen it stated that a polarizer is not useful with metallic surfaces. Not true: If the light falling on that surface is polarized, the reflected light will be also.
Posted by Anil Rao on February 25, 2007 at 5:37 PM
I have a UV filter for each of my lenses - they are on all the time.
Aside from this the filter that I use most comonly is the 81a warming filter. I also find myself using a polarizer when I think its necessary. I do carry some sheet filters (a couple of GNDs and the 81b) in my camera bag but I can't remember the last time I used them. I know many here swear by GNDs, but personally I find them to be a real pain - so much so that I have learnt how to do without them.
Posted by Buck Ward on February 25, 2007 at 8:14 PM
Sometimes I will shoot a scene without a GND and then add one. The difference can be quite astonishing - the difference between ho-hum deletable and a keeper. Rather than to darken a too-bright sky, a GND can be used to brighten a dull foreground. Or, a GND can be used to make overcast sky seem like storm clouds.
Sometimes a polarizer does nothing. Sometimes its effect can be dramatic. With a polarizer mounted, point a lens perpendicular to the directin of the light and towards a blue sky with big puffy clouds. As you turn the polarizer,you will see the difference. If you ever take pictures with this kind of sky, a polarizer is a worthwhile investment.
An ND filter gives you extra control of your exposure settings than you can't get just with ISO settings. It's often used to accentuate motion blur by allowing you to use longer exposure times and/or to decrease depth of field by allowing you to use a larger aperture for your chosen shutter speed.
Discussion
10 repliesPolarizer filters take away unwanted glare on water and other wet, shiny surfaces, saturates colors, and gives definition to skies (clouds stand out better). I never take my polarizer filter off my lens.
Graduated Neutral Density filters are essential for landscape photography so I do not want to be without them either.
Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
I generally don't use the polarizer to its full effect, almost always backing off a little to maintain the mood of the scene.
Guy
I'll just a few tidbits to those Bill and Will have already provided...
You don't mention if you are shooting film or digital. If you are shooting film, then filters other than the polarizer and graduated neutral density filters (NDGrad) become more important.
There are filters that change the color balance of the light hitting the film (or sensor). There are warming filters (81-series), cooling filters (80-series) and CC (color correcting filters) that fine tune color balance.
There are also filters for use with black and white photography: Red, yellow, green, and orange. These filters are used to alter contrast on the negative.
In addition to these, there are special effects filters that provide a variety of effects.
In todays world of digital photography, filters (with the exception of the polarizer,some special effects and neutral density types) have been replaced with in-camera color balance adjustment and creative tools available in imaging software. Having said this, you can still use filters to obtain the desired effect at time of capture, rather than in post-processing.
Since I am still using film (4x5), filters are very important in my work, and I use them only when needed. I do not keep a filter on the lens for protection except in conditions where blowing crud, snow or water will have the potential for causing harm.
As Will indicated, Darwin's article is excellent, and there are also many resources on the Web that you can research for more detailed information.
-PB
I will add that often after using a polarizer, I will make further adjstments on skies and clouds in Photoshop using the Selective Color adjustment- whether to increase or decrease the effect. Similarly, in photos shot without polarizers I'll use SC to add the effect.
I particularly like SC for this job because it is so controllable, allowing small refinements that are hard for me to manage in the field with filters.
I regard Photoshop in the same light as I do filters. Just one more control to help me show viewers what I think the photo should say.
Kent in SD
I have seen it stated that a polarizer is not useful with metallic surfaces. Not true: If the light falling on that surface is polarized, the reflected light will be also.
Aside from this the filter that I use most comonly is the 81a warming filter. I also find myself using a polarizer when I think its necessary. I do carry some sheet filters (a couple of GNDs and the 81b) in my camera bag but I can't remember the last time I used them. I know many here swear by GNDs, but personally I find them to be a real pain - so much so that I have learnt how to do without them.
Sometimes a polarizer does nothing. Sometimes its effect can be dramatic. With a polarizer mounted, point a lens perpendicular to the directin of the light and towards a blue sky with big puffy clouds. As you turn the polarizer,you will see the difference. If you ever take pictures with this kind of sky, a polarizer is a worthwhile investment.
An ND filter gives you extra control of your exposure settings than you can't get just with ISO settings. It's often used to accentuate motion blur by allowing you to use longer exposure times and/or to decrease depth of field by allowing you to use a larger aperture for your chosen shutter speed.
I often use a CPL, since there is lots of water, and wet scenes here in Oregon. Be careful otherwise, as it can slow shutter speed more than you wish.
sandy r