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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