Filter examples

[Jehu]

I'm new to filters. I just bought Lee Filters book "Inspiring Professionals". I'm no professional but I'm certainly inspired. My Lee system is on back order so I've got some time to study up on the topic.

Does anyone have any good examples of filter use they can post up and explain?
Thanks for any contributions to this educational endeavor.

[Steve M Hostetter]

polarizers help

[Jehu]

Thanks Steve. How much exposure compensation does a polarizer need? Is there a difference between linear and circular for exposure?

[Steve M Hostetter]

Hello Jehu,, I think the circular is for autofocus so I'd say linear is right.
I suppose you could also do the same thing more less w/ a #25 red with black&white photography.which is 2 stops more exposure for either filter.. I shot this in color and converted it to B&W

[Ken Lee]

For a natural-looking sky, it can be very helpful to use a Yellow Filter and a Polarizer together (http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/index.html#Filter).

[Dennis]

http://www.pbase.com/dpurdy/newport_oregon

Every image in this portfolio is shot with a deep red. The reason is that the contrast on the sand was very flat, but in the warm September light with the huge ocean sky being so blue the shadows were very bluish. So the red filter extremely deepend the shadows and emphasized variation in tone in the sand. I was careful not to over expose and then I pushed the process a bit. If you look at the one image in the second row that shows clouds and a little line of ocean over the dunes, you will see the ocean is black. The deep red did that as well as darken the clouds.
Dennis

[venchka]

Dennis,

Fabulous.

[Archphoto]

Looking great, Dennis !

[Dennis]

Thanks!
Dennis

[anchored]

I would suggest that when purchasing a polarizing filter, to spend the extra money for the circular version. No, it is not needed for large format cameras or manual focus lenses. So... why do I suggest spending extra money for something not needed? The linear polarizer is not supposed to be used on autofocus lenses. Why not buy a filter that will work on any camera you may own either now or in the future.

By the way... the Lee 105mm circular polarizer does a super job! Has a good range and provides a nicely rendered blue in skies. But... you'll need the accessory mounting ring to add to the front of the Lee filter holder.

Glenn

[Dennis]

I know with my linear polarizer I can dial it to varying degrees of affect pretty dramatically. I have never owned a circular polarizer, can it be varied like that?
Dennis

By the way a polarizer together with a deep red is about as dramatic as you will get.

[Jehu]

How much exposure compensation does a linear polarizer need? I'm pretty sure that the red filter needs two stops.

[venchka]

How much exposure compensation does a linear polarizer need? I'm pretty sure that the red filter needs two stops.

My heliopan instructions say:

Polarizer: 1 1/3 to 1 2/3 stops
Med. Red (25A): 3 stops

My B+W red filter is engraved 8x - 3.0. Divide ISO (ASA) by 8 = 3 stops.

[Jehu]

My Lee filter set isn't in yet but I have a Linear Polarizer and a red filter. I thought the red filter was 2 stops. It looks more like 4. I only figured on about a half a stop for the polarizer. It looks lie it should've been about 1 more stop.

I love what the red filter did to the sky. The setting sun was just to the left of the visible sky so I don't think the polarizer did much to it. I'm going back to the same spot and trying again with (hopefully) better exposure control.

I also want to try what Dennis said about Red and Polarizer together. I would assume that to be about 4 to six full stops. Is that right? That's a bunch!

No filter; Red filter; Polarizer;

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Dennis, outstanding work! I need to go back to the dunes up at Guadalupe.

Jim

[Joe O'Hara]

http://www.pbase.com/dpurdy/newport_oregon

Every image in this portfolio is shot with a deep red. The reason is that the contrast on the sand was very flat, but in the warm September light with the huge ocean sky being so blue the shadows were very bluish. So the red filter extremely deepend the shadows and emphasized variation in tone in the sand. I was careful not to over expose and then I pushed the process a bit. If you look at the one image in the second row that shows clouds and a little line of ocean over the dunes, you will see the ocean is black. The deep red did that as well as darken the clouds.
Dennis

Really, really nice work, Dennis!

[kev curry]

Jehu the photograph taken with the Red filter looks underexposed in relation to the others. When using filters I like to use the method devised by Gordon Hutchings. This is not without its opponents btw but it works for me and many others. He recommends metering through contrast filters and then adding the filter factor that he has devised for each individual filter. In the case of a red filter that would be the addition of 2 stops. This method is yet to fail, I always feel confident that I will have correctly placed shadow values with his method. I recently bought a Lee linear polarizer and after some conflicting information as to its correct compensation it was recommended not to meter through it, but instead simply add 2 stops to the exposure. So far judging from the 2 shots Ive taken that advice has proved to be right. I also tried my first shot with a Red filter plus the polarizer. Using the same method as above I metered through the red filter then added my usual 2 stop plus an additional 2 stops for the polarizer, so 4 additional stops in total added for that combination. The neg prints well and the shadows seem about right.

[Jehu]

Thanks Kev. Did you expose for the shadows?
I was figuring on metering the shadows around the building and try to place it about zone 2. That's three stops down. With both filters (four stops) I assume I would expose for one stop up from indicated exposure in the shadows. Did I figure that right?

[aduncanson]

I know with my linear polarizer I can dial it to varying degrees of affect pretty dramatically. I have never owned a circular polarizer, can it be varied like that?


A circular polarizer presents a linear polarizer to the subject and so acts just like a linear polarizer on the image. The difference is that the circular polarizer then converts the light from linear to circular polarization so that if it encounters other linear polarizing elements (such as beam splitters) in the camera's autofocus or metering mechanism, the light will pass through them just as if it was not polarized.

For a bit of explanation of what is meant by circular polarization and why this works see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_polarization

My Canon FTb had a beamsplitter in the focusing screen sending a sample of the light to a meter cell. Some times I would put on a linear polarizer, all I, (or anyone?) had at the time, and tune it to give the maximum reading on the meter, then turn the camera to achieve the desired polarization effect on the scene to meter. Then I would square up the camera as necessary to compose, reset the polarizer for the desired effect, and make the exposure.

[kev curry]

Jehu, yes I exposed for the shadows and placed them on zone lll thats the way I like to do it most of the time when metering almost all scenes.

''With both filters (four stops) I assume I would expose for one stop up from indicated exposure in the shadows. Did I figure that right?''

Yes that would be right, in your case as you say, your metering for zone ll and adding 4 stops, so yes that would be 1 stop up from the meters recommended exposure. Please dont forget that this method is only used when metering through the contrast filter, just adding 2 stops compensation for the red filter without first metering through it will insure way too thin underexposed shadows:)

Judging from your photos I think that I would probably base my exposure on the Fir trees, placing them on zone lll, detail there would probably be my main concern as they appear to be darker than the shadows around the building.

[Jehu]

OK. so I...

-hold the red filter over the meter and shoot the shadows that I want in Zone 2

-Add 1 stop to the indicated reading (minus 3 for zone 2; plus 4 for the filters)

-put red filter and polarizer on camera and hope for the best (with bracketing)

That seems easy enough. I'll try it this afternoon if I have the time. Also, you seem to recommend zone 3 for the building shadows. I'll probably center my bracketing on plus 2 stops instead of plus 1.

[kev curry]

Right on! But I dont bracket:) I would base exposure on the trees because they look like the darkest part of the scene. Some times folks get confused when they are told to meter the shadows, in that they literally look for shadows cast by objects! Thats right but not always in every case. Your scene might be a good example of that? Its easier to get it right if you think of it in terms of metering the darkest part of a scene that you want to be dark but detailed in the print ie zone lll, dark with full detail.
Oh and watch out that you dont scratch your filter with the light meter rubbing against it! You could put some smooth soft tape around the part of the meter that contacts with the filter! And sorry it would be a great idea to bracket to help you nail the correct compensation for future reference.

[Jehu]

f22 for Red filter plus polarizer corrected to 2 stops over shadow detail around the front doors. I metered through the red filter.

I figured 2 stops down for zone 3 and 4 stops up for polarizer plus red.

Then f32 because I had film on the other side of the holder and I'm just experimenting here.

I think I'm almost there. Thanks for the help guys.

If I didn't use some back tilt to compensate for convergence this may have been a keeper but the steeple is just a little out of focus.

At f22 / at f32:

[kev curry]

Jehu... it sure looks like you figured right, nicely exposed shadow areas! Gordon Hutching also worked out the correct factors for all the other filters used for B&W film like yellow green orange ect. I'd be glad to post them here if you wanted to use them in the future.

[Jehu]

Thanks Kev. That would be appreciated.

[kev curry]

#8-medium yellow.....no exposure increase necessary. Just meter through the filter as usual.
#11-light yellow-green.....one stop increase.
#12-dark yellow(also called a ''minus blue'').....no exposure increase necessary.
#16-medium orange.....one stop increase.
#21-light red.....one stop increase.
#25-medium red.....two stops increase
#29-deep red.....two stops increase.
For Cokin 4x4 (Z Pro) medium orange No-002 try one stop.
For Cokin 4x4 (Z Pro) red No-003 try two stops
For Cokin 4x4 (Z Pro) dark green No-004 try two stops.

[Blair Ware]

Kev, i know I am reviving an old thread, but can you point me to an online resource that describes when each of the above filters should be used?

If someone were taking mostly "nature" shots, what 3 filters should they buy. I ask because my 90mm Super Angulon takes 82mm filters which are a bit pricy. Thanks in advance.

[venchka]

Blair,

My experience:
I also have a lens requiring 82mm filters. The lens came with a polarizer and I use it a lot.
I put together a nice assortment of small filters for my 35mm lenses. I use 46mm yellow-orange and yellow-green a lot.

My modest filter assortment includes:
Yellow-orange, Yellow-green & red in 46mm
Polarizer, #8 yellow and 25A red in 67mm
Polarizer in 82mm

Wish list: medium yellow and green in 82mm.

[jim kitchen]

Dear Blair,

Filtration is a funny beast, where trying to select the right filter at the right time could drive you crazy and, or make you miss the moment within the scene... :)

I did have four filters in my backpack, where I had a light yellow (8), a yellow-orange (15), a deep red (25), and lastly a polarizing filter. The following pages may assist you with your choice, but the best way would be to purchase one, where I would buy the light yellow (8) to start, and move from that filter to the polarizer as your second purchase. I suggest those two because you could marry the two filters together to create a deeper affect, if you desire to do so.

jim k


A few pages to assist:

http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/filters1.html

http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/tipps/sw_fotografie_e.htm

http://www.fineart-photography.com/bwfilter.html

[kev curry]

Blair, I cant find anything better that the Links that Jim has kindly provided.
I first read about filters in Ansels book ''The negative'' I think he wrote just about 'everything' there is to write on the use of filters. Great read if you haven't had the pleasure.
On the nuts and bolts, I settled on the 4x4'' resin filters. I'm not sure if your familiar with this type of set up but the reasoning behind the decision was that the filters can be used with all lenses from 35mm to large format that don't exceed 100mm in diameter and have a thread in the front of the lens.
For each lens of differing thread diameter you add a step up ring to suit the lens thread, and then from their you attach a filter holder that houses the 4x4'' filter. I thought that this might be the most economical way of building a filter system to suit present and future lenses. Another compelling reason for going this way was that it also allows the positioning of Graduated filters. I still don't have any grads but I anticipate there possible use latter on.
I understand that step up rings are also available for the type of filters that you mention, but like you say about the filters they are ''pricey''. Then again the square filters from Cokin/Lee are not particularly cheap either, although maybe a little cheaper:)

Here's a post from a thread that should prove to be helpful http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=43062&highlight=filters

''A basic set of filters for b&w photography is polarizer, yellow, orange, red, and green. In b&w photographer you use the colored filters for two reasons: to darken skies and, more frequently, to separate objects of different colors but that are of similar values. This is one of the harder things to get used to when you go from color to b&w. For example, if you have a red apple against green foliage in the same light, the difference is very obvious in color but in b&w the apple won't stand out from the foliage, the shades of gray will be too similar. You can use a red filter to lighten the apple and darken the foliage or you can use a green filter to lighten the foliage and leave the apple about the same. But you have to do something. Eventually you get accustomed to seeing when you need a filter for this purpose but it can take a while''.
__________________
Brian Ellis

[Blair Ware]

Guys, thanks very much for the great advice and links. I have a copy of Ansel's books albeit buried in successive moves over the last few years. It feels like I spent too much time with my DSLR over the last few years, though my renewed interest in LF is the direct result of having too many digital shots to deal with. Looks like I need to reacquaint myself with Ansel's writings.

Kev, regarding the resin filters, how scratchable are they compared to a traditional glass filter?

If I do go for glass are specific brands better than others and for what reasons?

I remember reading somewhere that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert... I better start hoofing it before I run out of time. :) To that end, can anyone recommend workshops focusing on the technical side of shooting and processing? Thanks.

[kev curry]

Blair I'm not really sure about the scratch-ability differences between the two types, and know next to nothing about the different brands, maybe others could weigh in here. Is glass tougher, is it optically better? Possibly tougher but I doubt its optically superior?
I just try not to leave my greasy paw prints on the little buggers and try to remember to put them gently back into there cheapo supermarket CD pouch when done. Mind you I've still managed to collect a few fine scratches, but I don't worry about it.
So far the only workshops Ive done is with a good few dozen books at bedtime, but then again you should see my prints. However I should make a promise to myself to attend a Darkroom workshop with Les McLean before he dies or I die first:)

[Navy Moose]

Those links were fantastic. Now, I have a handy table of filter factors I can reduce and bring into the field with me. Thank you :-D