Filters For Landscape Photography

It’s time to spice up your landscape photography with filters.

Filters are used in photography to bring back an image to the way our eyes have perceived the original scene. Some times it’s not possible for our cameras to record an exact scene - so we have to rely on the manufacturers of camera products.

Filters also help us to create mood in our images and bring out the best in a scene. A small selection of filters is well worth packing when heading off for a trip. They don’t take up too much space and will definitely add a bit of spice to your images.

Filters work by being placed in front of your camera lens. You can also place several filters in front of your camera at any given time.

Lets take a look at the most important ones to use.

Neutral Density Filters (ND): Neutral Density filters will certainly help you with tough exposures. These filters work by cutting down the light that reaches your lens. These filters come in a variety of strengths with the most popular being 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 - these filters will help with exposure without affecting colour.

One half of these filters is dark and the other is completely clear. They basically work by reducing brightness. The different numbers stand for the amount of brightness they reduce - 0.3 ND reduces light by one stop - 0.6 reduces light by 2 stops - 0.9 reduces light by three stops.

Lets say you arrive at a high contrast scene, - you take a light reading of the sky and get an exposure reading of F/22 at 1/8 second; you take a reading from the ground in front of you and get a reading of F/22 at 1 second. This is a difference of three stops of light. You need to reduce the brightness of the sky. By using the 0.9 ND you will reduce the light in the sky by three stops without affecting the light hitting the ground in front of you.

Polarizing Filters: A polarizing filter should be top of the list - a polarizing filter can be used with colour or black and white and is probably the most important filter on the market today. The polarizing filter will also darken the blue sky to give it a strong rich colour. It will make mist stand out and can be also used to give fast flowing water a misty effect. This filter is most effective with side lighting.

Warm-up filters: In overcast conditions, don’t put your camera away. This is an ideal time for you to switch your attention to landscape detail. On an overcast day images often appear cold and dull. Try using a warm-up filter. These filters will remove the dull effect that you get shooting without the sun.

The 81-series are the best choice and will give your images an extra bit of life. An 81A warm-up filter is ideal to use in adding extra warmth to low light images.

Filters for B/W photography: Just because you use black and white film it doesn’t mean that you can’t use filters - there are several filters for B/W photography. The polarizing filter is one of the few filters that work for B/W and colour photography. It will help to darken shades of grey in your final print.

The red filter is one of the most popular. This filter will darken the sky giving your image more impact. The most common red filter is the number 25. Filters for B/W work by transmitting light of its own colour, and holds back light of the other colours.

There’s a large amount of filters available; these are the most important filters for landscape photography. There are also several filters on the market today that will do very little for your photography. Colour graduated filters should be left at home or placed in the bin - colour graduated filters work by creating un-natural colours, destroying your final print.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape photographer. If you are looking for more photo tips visit http://www.goldenirishlight.com/photographytips.html

The Wonders Of Winter

You may travel the world in search of the most glamorous locations, but sometimes there’s no place like home.

Its winter time again, and while some folks are ready to reside indoors, its time for all landscape photographers to gather their winter gear and start the quest for some great seasonal images.

For many of us, the greatest joy in photography is to travel to far-away lands, seeking idyllic locations, that we can only dream about, and then do our very best to capture them. But do we need to travel to capture perfect sights? All around us are places of beauty waiting to be captured and we pass them every day.

We don’t need to go to great expense or travel thousands of miles; dramatic places are found in every corner of every land. But then I do have one of the world’s best locations on my doorstep: the west coast of Ireland.

While the wet weather can keep me indoors for weeks on end, the winter months bring harsh, but inspiring light, where a rugged Irish Landscape thrives.

No more so than a scenic National Park, five miles outside Killarney town, on the west coast of Ireland. Killarney National Park, filled with towering hills and romantic lakes, still remains one of Irelands most unspoiled treasures.

It’s one of those places where my senses come alive; its varied landscape and rugged, yet accessible, mountain range, is a favourite spot with many and a place where I like to spend a lot of time. Its shapely mountain peaks make it a perfect spot to photograph, especially during the cold and icy winter months.

All we need in photography is a different approach. Each season brings its own elements, and winter is no exception. Using our photography skills at the correct time of day can vastly improve our pictures. If you are serious about photography, dawn is the time to be up and about. At this hour, the colours of the sky cast a brilliant orange-red hue that will add mood and character to any setting.

There are also other elements which make winter special. An early morning ramble through the woods can be a perfect start to any day. Our forests are full of great photo opportunities, and an early stroll around deserted woodland can be a remarkable experience.

Rivers and valleys are also prime locations for early morning snaps. If a damp day is followed by a cold night there may be some low-lying mist hanging around. Mist or no mist, an early start works best.

Last light of the day is also an excellent time to be out and about. The evening sun can explode a variety of colours across the sky as it sets for the day. If the sun shines at the beginning or the end of the day, the colour of the light will be much warmer, and will lead to a much more dramatic scene.

So as winter looms, I gather my belongings and head west to capture the mood of the harsh Irish winter, and start the quest for new seasonal images. It certainly isn’t time to put away the camera. Winter brings plenty of great photo opportunities, tougher conditions to work in, but just as satisfactory as any other season.

Each homeland can be a paradise in its own special way: Ireland is, and I’m sure, winter brings special elements to your homeland too.

TJ Tierney. Irish Landscape Photographer. http://www.goldprints.com