Transform your photography with one simple tool
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. Â Manufacturers make them in stops, such as 2, 5 or 9 stops. Â 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. Â 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 - Â Singh-Ray Filters. Â 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.
Singh-Ray Vari-ND Filters









