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77 – Neutral density filters – Graduated neutral density filters – Interview with D. Wiggett

Photography podcast #77 features an interview with Darwin Wiggett where we talk about neutral density filters and graduated neutral density filters. Darwin explains why we use these filters and how to use these filters effectively. We discuss hard edge versus soft edge, physical versus software filters, we even talk about reverse graduated neutral density filters. For newbie photographers that have just hatched, Darwin goes over polarizing filters as well.

Left - Screw on neutral density filter. Right - The Cokin system

Left - Lake with no filter. Right - Lake with polarizer and-2-stop hard edge grad. Notice how much 'poppier' this shot is. The grad reduces the sky's intensity. The polarizer adds contrast to the clouds in the sky and intensifies its colour. It also removes the water's reflections thus saturating its colours. © Darwin Wiggett

Left - Tire with Polarizer and-2-stop-hard-grad. Right - Tire with a Polarizing filter plus a 2-stop-hard-edge grad and-a 5-stop solid-ND filter. Note the movement of the foreground brush and the softness in the clouds. This was achieved by using the solid ND filter to get a slow shutter speed. © Darwin Wiggett.

The effect of a polarizer on its own. Left - No polarizing filter. Right - The polarizing filter lets you see through the water by eliminating the water's reflectivity. With the reflections removed, the colour is much more saturated. © Darwin Wiggett

Links /resources mentioned in this podcast:

Seven Rules for Effectively Using a Polarizer
Filters, holders and vignetting: building a filter system that works with your lenses
The Terrific Triple Threat
Fields of Gold (or was that blue?) Three Camera Filters all Digital Photographers Should be Using
Filters for Outdoor Photography
January’s macro or close-up assignment on the Photography.ca forum
Cokin filters at B&H (Disclosure – Aff links – help support our site)
Singh-Ray filters at B&H
Lee filters at B&H

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Tags: GND, graduated neutral density filters, ND, neutral density filters, photography, polarizing filters

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• What’s Up With Darwin Wiggett?
• Polarizing filters reduce reflections
• Photography filters – Photography Podcast #18

The truth about polarizing filters

The truth about polarizing filters is that every photographer should have one in his/her bag at all times. It is possibly THE single most important and  useful photo accessory you’ll own. When there is light outdoors, this filter is on my camera the vast majority of the time.

A CPOL (circular polarizing filter) can be used any time you’re in the outdoors, especially in the bright sun. It reduces reflections, and deepens/saturates colors like a blue sky. In bright sun,  you’ll often get skies that are blown out if you don’t use this filter. It makes the sky much bluer and richer looking in many cases without really affecting the other tones in the image. You will note the greatest results when the sun is low in the sky (so early morning and later afternoon/evening). The CPOL will not help your color and saturation much on overcast days, or when the sun is high in the sky.

For more information on this amazing little gadget, including a little insight into the ‘rule of thumb’ when using a CPOL, visit this link on polarizers in our photography forum

Here’s a link from B&H where you can look at or purchase different polarizers.
Buying from this link helps support our site.

Tags: circular polarizer, polarizing filters

Related posts:

• Polarizing filters reduce reflections
• Photography filters – Photography Podcast #18
• 77 – Neutral density filters – Graduated neutral density filters – Interview with D. Wiggett

Polarizing filters reduce reflections

Most people use polarizing filters to reduce the brightness of the sky so that it does not get blown out. However another very useful thing that polarizing filters do is that polarizers reduce unwanted reflections.

This shot below by forum member Travis is an AMAZING example of the same shot with and without a polarizing filter. The top image is shot without the polarizer and the bottom image uses the polarizing filter and gets rid of all the reflections. Thanks so much for letting me use these images Travis!

polarizing filters reduce reflections

3 other links on our forum that talk about how to use polarizers
- Travis’s original post
- Neutral gradient filter – also talks about polarizers
- Filters – also talks about polarizing filters and other filters

Tags: filters, photography, polarizers, polarizing filters, reflections

Related posts:

• The truth about polarizing filters
• Filters for lens protection
• 77 – Neutral density filters – Graduated neutral density filters – Interview with D. Wiggett