| | |
|
| |
| | |
|
|
Home > Which filters do I really need?
| | |
|
| Which filters do I really need?
They are hundreds of different type of filters available but only a few that we regard as truly essential to today's photographer. Here is a quick guide to those must-have filters...
| NEUTRAL DENSITY GRAD FILTER
|
| What does it do?
|
| A neutral density graduated filter allows you to balance the overall exposure of a scene where one area is significantly brighter than another. Typically, this is bright sky and dark land. By using an ND grad you can keep important detail in both areas.
|
| Can I creat a similar effect using photohsop?
|
| YES you can add a grad effect using the Gradient tool, Levels or Curves-merge two exposures or two images taken from the same RAW file
BUT you can't get back lost detail after the event - merging two images in Photoshop is fiddly, and creating two files from one underexposed RAW runs the risk of excess noise in the lightened areas.
|
|
How to use ND GRADS?
|
|
| POLARISING FILTER
|
| What does it do?
|
| A polariser will boost the colour saturation in your images and darken blue skies, as well as help to eliminate glare or reflections. It is certainly the most useful filter that you can own and is always worth using on bright, sunny days.
|
| Can I creat a similar effect using photohsop?
|
| YES you can certainly boost colours and deepen the blue in skies by increasing the contrast and saturation in your photograph.
BUT you certainly can't lose unwanted reflections or effectively reduce glare once the picture has been taken. And, of course, you can't suddenly find the lost detail that a polariser will retain for you.
|
|
How to use a POLARISER?
|
|
| NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER
|
| What does it do?
|
| While an ND grad reduces light across apart of the scene, and ND will reduce it evenly across the whole of the scene, effectively holding back the light to allow you to use a longer exposure. Like grads, NDs come in a variety of strengths.
|
| Can I creat a similar effect using photohsop?
|
| YES you can try to recreate the effect of a long exposure by using Photoshop filters such as Motion Blur on parts of your image.
BUT in most cases this is rarely as effective as using a true ND grad, where the blurring of movement on such things as water and swaying vegetation looks much more natural.
|
|
How to use ND filters?
|
|
|
Back to Photography Reading
| |
| | |
|
| | |
|
Your cart is empty.
Shipping Estimation: NON US Buyer Enter Zip Code "95432" | |
| | |
|
|
|