PS Gradients vs.Graduated Filters

[Larry Menzin]

Joanna,

The clouds on the right side of your first shot have a magenta cast to them. Is this due to the grad filter? I'm finding that even with the best glass grads, I'm getting this sort of cast, even with 8x10 film.

[Joanna Carter]

The clouds on the right side of your first shot have a magenta cast to them. Is this due to the grad filter? I'm finding that even with the best glass grads, I'm getting this sort of cast, even with 8x10 film.

This is mostly due to the prevailing low light reflecting off the storm clouds. I used to use Formatt filters because they were very well balanced and much less expensive than Lee, but recently, I have noticed that Formatt seem to be drifting towards very poor colour balance, so I would now recommend Lee resin filters, despite their prices.

Magenta casts can also be caused by the pH of the colour developer being slightly off, check with your lab.

[Ed Richards]

Joanna,

The desk picture is great!

Kirk,

Fast moving clouds where you want to capture detail in the cloud and detail in a darkened foreground would be my only use. What I have found is that I almost never take a picture with a flat enough horizon to use a grad, there is always something important sticking up in the cloud space. I just stick with a zone system modified for scanning as you do for black and white. I have not used HDR in digital yet because I still relegate digital to stuff that moves.