articles/Landscape/wherehowwhenandwhy-page4

Landscape Photography: Where, how, when and why - part 4 of 1 2 3 4

by Paul Gallagher Published

Finally I do use filters to control the tonal rendition and contrast of the photographs. The filters I use are a hardresin type which attach to the lens front via an adapter ring and filter holder. The main filters I carry are dedicated black and white consisting of red, yellow, green and orange along with three densities of neutral density (uniform, not graduated) and lastly, a polarising filter. I tend not to go too mad with the common failing of trying to push up the contrast in the image - doing so ignores the fact that you can squeeze out a lot of the tonal range in a monochrome image instead of also being aware that filters can make a gentle subtle shift in tonal range and reproduce what you visualised.

For example a green filter will ruin a deep blue sky but if used to filter out green light in woodlands, in spring, the effect is almost like infrared. Uniform neutral density filters are used to slow the shutter speed and lengthen exposure to create 'dream-like' effects, without altering the tonal range and I use them occasionally to blur water to differing degrees or to enhance the movement of a particular part of the scene. I use a polarising filter for two reasons - to remove/reduce the reflections on water, which is particularly good when photographing a clear mountain stream, and to give a blue sky that extra dark punch!

If all goes to plan, the next issue of Professional Imagemaker is a monochrome special and I will be covering the dodge and burn tricks associated with enhancing the mood of your landscapes.

• Landscape Photography: Where, how, when and why page 1
  
• Landscape Photography: Where, how, when and why page 2
  
• Landscape Photography: Where, how, when and why page 3
  
• Landscape Photography: Where, how, when and why page 4
  

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