Shelton Muller discusses one indispensable filter for the landscape shooter - the Grad…

There are  few photographers who don’t use filters to some degree. Filters are used to correct or enhance photographs when technological limitations are placed upon them. They are used for artistic purposes also, often contributing largely to stunning images made from relatively ordinary circumstances. However, it is here that many who use filters can come completely undone.

As with all extremes, too many filters – or the wrong ones – can actually hinder the photographer and destroy the image. The photographer needs to understand that in essence, the excellence of the image is entirely reliant upon him. Effect filters will rarely make eye-popping images of poor compositions or photographs where the photographer makes little effort himself. That is why the choice of filter is particularly important at the time of purchase and in those moments when they can either make or destroy an image.

There are many filter brands, types and systems and rarely will a photographer find himself working exclusively with only one. Brands like B+W, Hoya, Arrow, Fotar etc all make screw-in type filters which have a metal rim and are made from optical glass. Brands like Cokin, Lee and Singh Ray are essentially filter systems which require adaptors fitted to the lens. The filters are placed into tight slots in these adaptors. Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to each and so interplay between systems and filters sometimes occurs.

Ultra Violet and Skylight filters are usually par-for-the-course. You will usually find them tightly screwed on to most lenses these days. While they do little to actually enhance the image, they are optical quality front element protectors and they will save you from scratching, grinding and denting your front lens element. For this reason alone, they are a worthwhile investment.

There are many filters, however, which do not immediately fall into the class of everyday usefulness and worthwhile investment. Filter companies produce brochures that display wonderful and spectacular photographs taken with all sorts of special effect type filters which you may use once or twice and then never use again. These may cost you a fair bit of money and when you are starting out this could be better spent. There are many other filters though that have greater usefulness in more photographic circumstances than others. Let’s look at these.

Graduating Filters.

Graduating filters are those which have a colour or tone which graduates gently from about halfway through the filter and deepens or intensifies as it reaches the top. Graduated filters come in all sorts of colours and can be used to enhance sunsets, clouds and empty skies. These can appear overdone, but of course personal taste is always the issue. The most useful graduated filter however is a graduated grey or neutral density filter as it can be used to maintain detail in overexposed areas without making any distinct colour change. By so doing, the photographer can expose for foreground (which may require one or two stops more light) and still maintain detail in the sky or distant hills. Without the graduated filter in place, the background clouds or sky may otherwise overexpose and lose detail.

These kinds of filters are rarely found in screw in type mounts. While there are half-half type filters available, there is no graduation in the colour and a harsher line is visible. The advantage with slot type filter systems such as the Cokin filter system is that the filter can be moved up and down in the adaptor to accommodate the photograph and its composition.

Come back soon for Part 2 - Polarisers!

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Entry was posted on Tuesday, November 28th, 2006 at 6:43 am under Tutorials, Tutorials - filters.

Read more entries by Shelton Muller.