fiters for b&w in red rock country

nuspeak · Mar 27, 2006

Iv'e been shoting in southern utah with t-max 100. Iv'e used a 25 red filter to help with seperation in the clouds, and am finding it gives the red rock cliffs a pale almost washed out look. Is the 25 red to strong and lightening the cliffs to much? Anyone out there have more experience with this subject matter than I who could give me suggestions? I think I read somewhere that a green filter helps with the yellowish red of these rocks. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Rich

Donald Qualls · Mar 27, 2006

A green will give similar separation in the sky to a red, but will darken, rather than lightening the rocks -- possibly too much. I'd be tempted to experiment with various yellows and oranges, possibly with Polaroid at the site so you can then make your conventional film exposures with confidence.

Donald Miller · Mar 27, 2006

What Donald said is correct of the effect of a green filter (like a 58) in that part of the world. I would agree that probably a light green, yellow green, or possibly an orange would provide most acceptable separation.

The yellow green, and light green would give some darkening to the rock and marginal darkening of the sky. The orange would marginally lighten the rock and more markedly darken the sky.

The 25 red doesn't work for me there either. Beautiful country. I love to photograph there.

Aggie · Mar 27, 2006

Where at in So. Utah? I have switched from a yellow to a yellow orange. It adds just enough to the sky and doesn't turn the rocks a paler shade. It is also harsh light here, so you might want to find some ND filters as well. When it gets really bright it helps to tone the bright sky down a bit.

nuspeak · Mar 28, 2006

Thanks for the advise. I guess I'll try some of the options you guys have given.
I've been going down around horseshoe canyon, canyonlands area. This weekend I was in Colorado national monunent (a little east of moab) and was excited about one particular shot. The composition was very nice with great shadows and sunlight rock face but the red filter really was to much and I can't get a pleasing print. The rock is just too pale and lifeless. Oh well , live and learn. Take care and keep shooting.
Rich

waynecrider · Mar 28, 2006

I usually find AZ to be either life-less in the sky or if a storm is coming thru broken overcast. When it's just blue sky I tend to leave it out "depending" and point my camera down. As you know blue sky and red rock is very close in density. To me red is a bright color so a little lite would be ok. You should have a yellow in your bag; What have you found?

Do you have any color film with you?

Lee Shively · Mar 28, 2006

I agree with the use of a green filter. Also try a polarizer.

nijjans · Apr 2, 2006

nuspeak said:
Iv'e been shoting in southern utah with t-max 100. Iv'e used a 25 red filter to help with seperation in the clouds, and am finding it gives the red rock cliffs a pale almost washed out look. Is the 25 red to strong and lightening the cliffs to much? Anyone out there have more experience with this subject matter than I who could give me suggestions? I think I read somewhere that a green filter helps with the yellowish red of these rocks. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Rich

Rich, the red filter lets all red light pass, so basically you have overexposed the red (!) rocks. AA describes the same phenomenon in The Negative (if I remember correctly) when he talks about using a yellow filter when shooting dunes. Ansel writes that it was Weston who told him not to compensate exposure for the filter under those circumstances.

nworth · Apr 2, 2006

Many of us Utah types use an orange (15) filter with the rock. It darkens the sky significantly and lightens the rock a little. This is usually the effect you want. A polarizer can also be used to darken the sky without changing the rocks, or the two can be used together for a more dramatic effect, with skies like the 25 filter but not such light rocks. I sometime use a yellow green filter (13), but the orange filter seems to work better in the red rock country. The usual rules apply: things similar in color to the filter are lightened, things in the complementary color are darkened.

Sparky · Apr 3, 2006

what he said

i say go pola.

fiters for b&w in red rock country

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