An terrible lot of photographers have by no means used lens filters and, because of the ever-increasing dynamic vary of recent mirrorless cameras, the frankly mind-boggling capabilities of the most recent picture enhancing software program and even a number of intelligent in-camera results (I’m you, OM System), there have by no means been fewer causes to disregard lens filters altogether.
But if any of that sounds in any respect acquainted to you, and particularly if you happen to’ve by no means used a lens filter earlier than, then I’m right here to inform you: that may be a nice disgrace. Using lens filters isn’t simply enjoyable; I believe it’s an vital step in virtually each photographer’s journey.
Don’t get me unsuitable, how usually you employ lens filters will rely on the style(s) that you simply shoot. But if you happen to’re a prolific photographer, you’ll virtually actually encounter a scenario the place a bodily lens filter would match the invoice sooner or later.
For instance, I seize a number of motorsport pictures and a neutral density filter is a useful asset when capturing pans with extremely slow shutter speeds. Because many races take place during the brighter months and in the middle of the day, it can often prove impossible to reach shutter speeds such as 1/20 sec without using an ND.
But I digress; the whole point of this article is to explain how using a lens filter changed my whole relationship with photography.
How a simple lens filter changed my relationship with photography forever
Perhaps the most cliched piece of photography advice is “get it right in-camera”.
I generally agree with the sentiment, but there are times when I oppose it. For example, if your image is sharp, you’ve got enough resolution to play with and you didn’t have time to refine your framing, I see nothing wrong with heavy cropping at all.
However, you should absolutely aim to get it right in-camera where possible. That’s where lens filters come in.
Filters enable you to produce all manner of effects in-camera. And I believe that to be extremely important for several reasons, but by far the most important is that it enables you to realize the image you have in your mind’s eye as you take it.
I remember the first time I used a filter; unsurprisingly, I was using an ND filter to restrict the amount of light entering my camera, so I could use a very slow shutter speed to blur a body of water. It was like watching a magic trick happen right before my eyes.
I couldn’t believe that I’d managed to create what I was seeing on my camera’s playback screen without the use of digital editing software. It was all me and my camera!
That was a huge confidence booster – and boy did it ramp up my love for photography. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that using a filter for the first time can transport you right back to when somebody first handed you a camera as a child.
I love photo editing more than most. But at its core, photography is about using a device that exposes a light-sensitive material to light, enabling you to capture a moment in time.
A lens filter doesn’t take away from that process; it adds to it. It interacts with the light as it enters your camera – shapes the light, if you will – and leaves you to marvel at the results.
If you’ve never thought about using a filter before, get yourself a cheap one I don’t care whether it’s an ND, ND grad, polarizer, diffusion filter or anything else; every photographer should try a physical lens filter at least once.
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