#singh-ray

If you’ve ever tried to take a picture of something like the ocean against a bright sunlit background, you know that you have to compromise in either aperture or shutter speed to acquire a well-lit scene. This might mean static water or blown out skies. There is actually a really good solution for this – a Neutral Density filter.

A Neutral Density filter, more commonly referred to as an ND filter, is probably one of the best “go-to” accessories a photographer can have to control bright light.  By blocking harsh light from reach the camera’s sensor, using an ND filter means that you can get [more] creative without compromising a smaller f/stop, lower ISO or faster shutter speed when photographing a brightly lit scene that normally would not be possible. ND filters do not affect color (hence the term “neutral”);  nor do they affect contrast or sharpness.

ND filters radically transformed my photography, allowing me to create images that I could not have created without a neutral density filter.

That said, it was time-consuming to use them; especially when I wanted to try several versions of the same scene with different densities.  Manufacturers make them in stops, such as 2, 5 or 9 stops.   To use them, you have to choose the filter with the density you desire, attach the filter, shoot the image, remove it and repeat for any additional changes in density.  It sounds simple enough, but when you are on a photo-shoot, adding and removing a filter is time-consuming, not to mention the added weight of more gear.

Then one day I discovered the most amazing solution, a Vari-ND Filter.  Vari-ND filters, made by Singh-Ray Filters, contain a range of stops in one filter – from 2 to 8 stops simply by turning the dial on the filter to achieve a “variable” in f/stops.   It is an amazing time saver and it screws on my camera lens just like a regular circular filter.

If you are looking to get creative and push the boundaries of what you can do with an ND filter, take a look at their website -  Singh-Ray Filters.   They have some great photo galleries with images that use these filters, along with videos and instructional content that is bound to transform your vision and photography.

Ansel Adams said, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.”  Look, I understand Ansel was using a big honkin’ (I believe that was the brand) camera with huge sheets of expensive film (whatever that was) so he probably didn’t pull the shutter unless it was pretty good. We on the other hand have endless free pixels to burn and thus are a bit more liberal in our shooting and…