Filters or not
Nov 7, 2023 08:29:00 #
Shooting with my lumix 4/3 in monochrome is it best , or not , to shoot with a red filter, polorizing filter, to increase contrast or just do it post production
Nov 7, 2023 08:33:28 #
Don’t know if there is a “best”, it’s what you are trying to capture.
Consider the characteristics of each filter and determine if you want to use it.
I always used a polarizer when shooting fall colors to eliminate glare off of the leaves and water. Also photographing car shows..
Used a red filter for b&w for dramatic contrast with clouds in the sky.
Some characteristics might not be achieved in post production and why waste time?
Good shooting!
Consider the characteristics of each filter and determine if you want to use it.
I always used a polarizer when shooting fall colors to eliminate glare off of the leaves and water. Also photographing car shows..
Used a red filter for b&w for dramatic contrast with clouds in the sky.
Some characteristics might not be achieved in post production and why waste time?
Good shooting!
Nov 7, 2023 08:39:43 #
Nov 7, 2023 08:40:16 #
Nov 7, 2023 08:47:04 #
Stan Fayer wrote:
Thanks Luke, shooting B&W mainly trying to increase contrast and exaggerate clouds.
If you have the filters, try each one...
See which effect you like more.
Nov 7, 2023 08:59:56 #
The broad consensus is to capture in RAW (color) and process digitally, including digital application of color filters, B&W conversion, contrast, etc. Far more control of the final results. Myself, I process the RAW to a finished color image, then apply the B&W conversion and edit that conversion to completion as B&W.
Nov 7, 2023 09:06:28 #
For nostalgia maybe try the red filter. But with Lightroom’s (and I suspect other programs) uncanny automatic masking capabilities I’d do all this in post. Save time, added flexibility in processing alternatives.
Nov 7, 2023 09:21:15 #
Nov 7, 2023 09:23:58 #
Stan Fayer wrote:
Shooting with my lumix 4/3 in monochrome is it best , or not , to shoot with a red filter, polorizing filter, to increase contrast or just do it post production
I have no experience with recording images in monochrome, and I don't know how monochrome cameras work, but if all it does is desaturate a color image, then there are better ways to get a good black & white. You mention post-production, but you don't say what software you use.
I use a polarizer for glare when photographing cars or other shiny stuff, because even if shooting raw, a blown-out highlight is unrecoverable, and trying to balance the overexposed areas with the rest of the image is not only time consuming, but often not possible. But as for the Wratten-type filters, I see no reason to use them, as better effects can be achieved in Photoshop. Photo filters can be applied and modified for strength and color, or other techniques like the B&W adjustment layer or gradient maps can work with the colors and tones to produce nearly any effect you want.
Nov 7, 2023 09:30:30 #
Shooting in color (raw) and converting to monochrome in post gives the most flexibility. It allows you to choose the tonal conversion between different colors to greyscale so you can get different effects. Using a filter is a one-shot deal (plus more fiddling with the camera while taking the shot).
Nov 7, 2023 09:33:36 #
coolhanduke wrote:
Don’t know if there is a “best”, it’s what you are trying to capture.
Consider the characteristics of each filter and determine if you want to use it.
I always used a polarizer when shooting fall colors to eliminate glare off of the leaves and water. Also photographing car shows..
Used a red filter for b&w for dramatic contrast with clouds in the sky.
Some characteristics might not be achieved in post production and why waste time?
Good shooting!
Consider the characteristics of each filter and determine if you want to use it.
I always used a polarizer when shooting fall colors to eliminate glare off of the leaves and water. Also photographing car shows..
Used a red filter for b&w for dramatic contrast with clouds in the sky.
Some characteristics might not be achieved in post production and why waste time?
Good shooting!
You got it duke! Before anyone attaches a filter, it pays to have a plan. Having said that, more often than not, I’ll take a shot then if I add a filter, it’ll be to “see what difference” it makes. The exception is using a CP to address glare.
Nov 7, 2023 09:46:57 #
When I was learning photography with b&w color filters gave excellent results I learned different colors give different results as my skills improved selection of what filters to choose became easier
Nov 7, 2023 10:19:13 #
If the broad consensus is to shoot in color and convert later, then why do camera companies build monochrome into the cameras?
Nov 7, 2023 10:29:20 #
Stan Fayer wrote:
If the broad consensus is to shoot in color and convert later, then why do camera companies build monochrome into the cameras?
For the people who don't really care about the results and are willing to accept the JPEG output. There's plenty of them.
Nov 7, 2023 10:44:22 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
For the people who don't really care about the results and are willing to accept the JPEG output. There's plenty of them.
Or for the people who don't know how cameras work and/or don't care how cameras work and just want a picture the easiest way.
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