Creativity in Photography - Lets talk Filters - Why, how and what I use!

Filters play a big part in my creativity in photography and the way I use them personally has evolved over the last few years. I thought this would be an interesting thing to talk about so here we are, pop the kettle on and read on….. (PS read til the end to get yourself a cheeky discount on Tide Optics filters too!)

First up, if you are new to filters - It can be overwhelming with there being so many options! Some screw on, some drop in a holder - whats best to go for? Well, this will be the place to give you an overview of how different filters work, when to use them, and specifically how I use them.

Going back 5 or 6 years ago I was far more of a traditionalist landscape photographer. The filters I used would be a Neutral Density (ND) Filter, which holds back the light, a polariser, reducing glare, reflections and increasing vibrancy and a graduated ND filter, to balance the light for the sky and the land by applying a darker section to the top end of the filter. Now with cameras being so much more advanced and the dynamic range being so incredible, I no longer see the need to use a graduated ND filter.

So, I am going to give you a run down of the types of filters I use now and what they do!

Neutral Density (ND)

Firstly when would you need an ND filter? When you want to trick the camera into thinking its darker than it actually is and therefore being able to keep the shutter open for longer. Its perfect for shooting long exposures involving clouds, oceans & rivers, waterfalls - anything water based for that matter! I use them to keep the shutter open long enough to create wave trails where it traces the water movement and records it all within one single image. You can instantly control the amount of light entering your lens and shoot at increased exposure times without your image being overexposed.

Results of this would look like these photos below….

Polariser

Polarising filters can help your landscape and seascape photography by reducing glare and increasing vibrancy when used in the correct way, in short, these are one of the most useful accessories a photographer can own.

So what is it? Its a filter that sits on the end of your lens and when rotated it changes the effect it has on light entering your lens. At different angles of rotation, the amount of light that’s filtered out will vary. It all depends on which direction the sun is, a ninety-degree angle to the sun usually offers the best results.

I used a polariser on the below photographs and you may not always know as its such a subtle change sometimes but honestly, it does make a difference, sometimes bigger than others!

Now for the newest addition to my kit bag…

Cinesoft

Firstly, what does a cinesoft filter do? It creates a dreamy, soft effect, blooming the highlights, lifting constrast and its very cinematic!

I’d seen this used in a low light / street kind of way before but never in nature, so, I set myself a challenge to see what this could do and I headed out with flowers and nature in mind. I just loved the way it captured the scenes in a gentle, hazy, dreamlike effect. Which is quite often a style I want to create when photographing in nature, as these scenes often make me feel that way, and to be able to interpret that feeling in a still image (without the need for photoshop!) is a game changer!

I then decided to embark on a styled portrait shoot wanting that same cinematic feel… and wow, it did not disappoint! The soft glow and way it picked up the colours and light were just incredible!

Being so pleased with the results I also took to the streets and came across this very cute cafe!

So there we go, you’ve seen some examples of the results and I guess the next point is, what to buy? I think it really depends on budget as you can go both ends of the scale here. For those top end filters you definitely do need a bigger budget. This can depend on the nature of how and what you shoot along with your budget to decide where you sit on this spectrum.

For me, and the filters I used in these images today and specifically the Cinesoft - my go to is Tide Optics. Unbelievable you can purchase these from from £20.95. This is massively lower than those high end brands I also use! Each filter fits the individual thread so you really need to know the thread size of the lens you will be using for this type of photography so you can purchase the right one. But for that price maybe you are thinking you might compromise on quality? Nope, not in the slightest. No colour cast (which can be a common problem in cheaper filters) and the quality of the images is still definitely there, no issues at all.

So what else is important to me? Sustainability.

Tide Optics are a 1% for the Planet Member -

1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. Tide Optics is a proud 1% FTP member and donates 1% of all sales to reputable environmental charities. Our chosen charity at present is Oceana, These contributions help make our oceans more biodiverse and abundant by winning policy victories in the countries that govern much of the world's marine life.

Long Lasting Products 

Quality products with a long life are better for the environment. Tide Optics ensures excellent build-quality in the full product range and a strategy for used & returned products to keep our products away from landfills.

Materials 

All packaging & products have 100% recyclable packaging.

In summary, it's a really great quality product for an amazing price tag, making filters affordable for everyone. This in my eyes is a game changer. When I first got into landscape photography and didn't want to spend hundreds of £ I went for a cheap brand and the quality was terrible, really destroying the images I was taking. I have used a couple of the top brands and have ended up spending a lot of money. I get messages asking about filters all the time, especially from fairly new landscape photographers. Its great that now there's an affordable option without the worry of having to sell a kidney!

Anyway you can see more details on the Tide Optics website and even make a purchase here!

I'm actually so confident in the brand that I am an ambassador of Tide Optics. As an ambassador, I am pleased to be able to offer out a discount code for you - so be sure to use EMILY10 at the checkout!

I hope this review and overview of why I use filters and what for really helps - please do let me know and if you decide to try any of this out for yourself!

Also, what do you think I should try and incorporate into my photography next?

As always, thanks for reading and happy shooting!

Emily x