Photo Tips About Colored Photo Filters That Will Take Your Landscape Photography To The Next Level!

Jun 28
07:51

2012

Dan Eitreim

Dan Eitreim

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If you don't use colored filters in your landscape photography, you are missing out! Here is what you need - and how to avoid losing them!

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Today's photo tips are about colored photo filters that you should have in your camera bag at all times. And how to avoid losing them! Adding colored photo filters to your shooting arsenal is an easy way to get dramatically better landscape photography!

Photo tip #1 - What is a good way to store your photo filters so that they are readily available?

If you keep them in their original packaging,Photo Tips About Colored Photo Filters That Will Take Your Landscape Photography To The Next Level! Articles they take up a lot of room in your camera bag. Room that could be better put to use for spare batteries, memory sticks (film?) and so on. Plus, with them all jammed into a side pocket, you can't really tell what the filter is unless you take them all out.

That's not much of a problem until the day you forget to put them back. It could cost you quite a lot of money - and save the next photographer that shoots from that location a bundle.

Here's what you do… buy a zip shut CD/DVD case. Connect it to your camera bag, and you will never lose it.

The filters will fit in the plastic CD/DVD slots and by just flipping through the pages, you can see the filters and pick out the one you want to use! My case is made by Case Logic and has been storing my filters for years. They make camera cases too if you need one.

Photo Tip #2 - Colored Filters. Buy them and don't buy them.

The next time you are watching television - or go to the movies, notice the colors on the screen. Particularly pay attention to when the scene is supposed to represent dawn or dusk. Frequently, the colors you see are not natural and were introduced by colored filters.

If done properly, you never notice the filter effect; you just accept the scene as being shot at that time of day.

Sometimes, the director may want something more edgy and lets the colored filters become obvious and not seamlessly blend in.

As I write this, there is a show on television called "CSI - Miami!" Take a look at that one if you want to see a blatant use of colored filters. In fact they use them too much, in my opinion, and it detracts from the show.

But then again, they are making the big bucks and I'm not, so my opinion is probably wrong.

In our photography, an overall color wash like that is easily accomplished in Photoshop with one or two clicks.

Plus, you have more control over the amount of color saturation and so on… so I advise you to save your money and not buy solid color filters.

What I DO recommend is that you get a few of the most popular split filters. At least get some pink ones and some tobacco ones. You can later decide on other colors and densities.

A split filter is one that is clear at the bottom and colored at the top. The dividing line can be sharp, or a gradual fade. (I recommend a gradual fade.)

This is used to color the sky without affecting the ground. The effect is more natural looking than a solid color wash - while at the same time it is more difficult and time consuming to replicate in Photoshop. Particularly with a gradual fade.

It's worth spending a few bucks and having them in your arsenal.

Adding colored photo filters to your shooting will take your landscape photography to a new level and give it that "WOW" factor. This photo tip can set you apart from the crowd and help you start winning photo contests.