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to filter or not to filter....that is my question

destroya

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
1,238
Location
Willamette Valley, OR
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Multi Format
its that time of year again in the south bay area. 80% of the days are perfect weather, but during these days there are no clouds to speak of. when i shoot B&W the main reason I use an orange or red filter is to get separation of clouds and sky. I know there are other benefits to using a filter (and I know I could test it) but if there are no clouds in the sky, would you use a filter? maybe a yellow? or not at all? what say you?
 
Sure they can be used even on cloudless days... to get a little more darkness of hte sky. I do that often so the sky isn't so "bleached out".
 
I have come to really like what polarisers do to the sky, but they are most effective at right angles to the sun.
 
A yellow filter does very well for a lot of situations. You can look at the scene through a filter and get a good idea of the effect. With a little practice, your judgement will be pretty accurate.
 
Michael R 1974 said:
Depends on what else is in the scene and the colours of things. Filters aren't only for skies. You can use them to separate/blend/emphasize/de-emphasize other things too.
Click to expand...

This.

I like green filters to lighten up the vegetation and make the skin look tan.
Also red sometimes when I want to make skin eerily bright.

I'd choose filtration based on main subject, not just the sky.
If I'm shooting a young model with immaculate skin, I'll go for a deep green, sky be damned.
 
Sometimes I use a polarize and a red filter to get a really dark sky. I use a tripod cause the shutter is slow.

Jeff
 
I'm in the North Bay with the same 80% cloudless days. I've been using a wratten #11 quite a bit lately. It does not darken the sky quite as much as my yellow filter, but it lightens up some foliage ( especially light greens like grass, and the trees with lighter green leaves )
 

When to use filters:
  1. Bring out clouds
  2. Darken skies
 

I remember reading about a portrait photographer in New York City early in the 20th century who had a booming business photographing children for Italian immigrant families. He used a red filter to lighten the skin and this was especially popular with mothers who wanted their children to look more "American".
 
When I shoot b/w film I always have a yellow filter on it. The reason isn't because of the increased contrast but because it helps separate the "colors." If you take a photo without a filter all the grays look the same, but if you use at least a yellow filter that has no exposure compensation factor then you'll get the separation of grays.

Oh, and one other reason why people use red filters on people is that if they have a lot of acne it'll lighten up the red spots and make the skin look clearer.
 

I created myself a library of interesting cloud formations from 'good days' and copy them into boring skies when needed.
 
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