Nd filters

colliedogman710

colliedogman710

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hi can anyone tell me do i need a nd filter when takeing pics of a water fall,to make the water look fluffy or is it a case of slowing the shutter speed right down? thanks
 
For the smooth/fluffy water effect you need to slow the shutter speed, how much you slow it will determine how the water appears.

An ND filter is a tool that lets you slow the shutter. Whether you need one or not will depend on the lighting conditions. Which one you need will depend on the lighting conditions and how long you want the shutter to be open.
 
i dont want to sound silly,so if the the slower the shutter speed the more blur/smooth/fluffy the water will look?.and dose this apply to all water shots,i.e say slow moveing water.ponds.slow in comeing tides? thanks
 
In general, yes.

A waterfall with a very short shutter speed will have individual splashes of water frozen in mid-air, as you slow the shutter these become elongated streaks, then merge into a blur, and the longer the shutter is open the less detail remains visible in the water.
 
Just to add to the great explanation given, an ND filter can be used when it's bright to use a longer shutter speed to achieve the look you want. It simply cuts down the amount of light entering the lens, and therefore to achieve a correct exposure without opening the aperture, you use a longer shutter speed.
Experiment, and have fun.
 
Or a dark pair of sunglasses ;) Which is what I tried, and it worked ok.
 
Or stop the aperture right down and take the shot in failing light ;)

ND filters are probably the easiest way to get the shot of blurred water but as you see from some of the replies there are other ways.
 
Princess said:
Or a dark pair of sunglasses ;) Which is what I tried, and it worked ok.
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Sunglasses are only a pair of ND filters for your eyes, but the colour can vary depending on which ones you use!:lol:

Asha said:
Or stop the aperture right down and take the shot in failing light ;)
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The main problem with this method is that you may start to get diffraction issues, which will affect the image quality.
ND filters are the way to go !
 
ok so its trial and error with the shutter speed and have a play.or wear a pair of sunnys lol.if the way to go is nd filter which one would be best or dose it depend on the light of the day?
 
ok thank u im not working friday so im going to go and have a play with the setting and see how i get on.thanks
 
jimybell said:
Why not just drop the ISO instead?
Jim
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How far were you thinking of dropping it? ;)

You could be looking at using a 4-stop ND to get the shutter speed needed at ISO100 for the aperture you want - to remove the ND filter and get that effect by reducing the ISO further you'd be at ISO6.
 
Well i got out and had a play,takening all the advice and settings that u guys have suggested and had some good results.trying different settings and after a while i could see where i was getting it right and where i was getting it wrong :lol:.still not got it quiet right so more practice i think but thanks for the adivce :) Brian
 
Just curious because this is a relevant thread, can ND filters produce a better exposed sky in photographs? I hate when skies can look whitened out compared to my subject. I'd like to retain the details in my skies & I've found that altho using 100 ISO does improve my sky exposures but I usually do this regardless. Can an ND filter assist me?
 
IamAshlyRose said:
Just curious because this is a relevant thread, can ND filters produce a better exposed sky in photographs? I hate when skies can look whitened out compared to my subject. I'd like to retain the details in my skies & I've found that altho using 100 ISO does improve my sky exposures but I usually do this regardless. Can an ND filter assist me?
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No. Neutral density filters are dark all over, and come in various densities. They're used to get longer shutter speeds, for things like misty waterfalls and milky seascapes.

What you're after is a graduated ND filter (or 'grad' for short) which is dark at the top, fading to clear. They also come in different densities.

Also consider a polariser, good for darkening blue skies and also reducing reflections. Most landscapers use them a lot.
 
HoppyUK said:
Also consider a polariser, good for darkening blue skies and also reducing reflections. Most landscapers use them a lot.
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Okay & thank you for clearing that up. In all honesty I've not had much experience with filters in the past. Well, none actually. I might have a look into polarising filters over the summer!
 
IamAshlyRose said:
Okay & thank you for clearing that up. In all honesty I've not had much experience with filters in the past. Well, none actually. I might have a look into polarising filters over the summer!
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Good :thumbs: If you only ever get one filter, make it a good quality polariser.

Then learn how to use is to best effect. They're all about angles - to the sun, to shiny subjects to reduced reflections, and angles of rotation.
 
@HoppyUK Thank you for the suggestion :}
 
IamAshlyRose said:
@HoppyUK Thank you for the suggestion :}
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You're welcome Ash. To get you started, here's a quick guide.

Polarising filters can either have little or no effect, or can be quite dramatic. It depends on how much polarised light there is about. Light from a clear blue sky is strongly polarised and when you get the angle right, a polariser can make it go very dark indeed, while clouds remain white. But if it's overcast, you'll get zip.

Light reflected from non-metal surfaces is also polarised so, again if you get the angles right, you can see through water or glass, or reduce or eliminate reflections from foliage, grass, leaves etc. This is why landscapers love them - makes things look richer, and with trees for example, there are always a few leaves that just happen to be at the right angle :)

For blue skies, the optimum angle is 90 degrees to the sun. Make a 'gun' with your finger and thumb at right angles. Point your finger at the sun, and as you rotate your finger, your thumb will scribe an arc in the sky marking the zone of maximum polarisation.

From this you will understand that polarisers are not much use with a sunset, because the arc of polarisation will be above or behind you. But if the sun is high, directly above, the arc will run 360 degrees around the horizon. Think about it ;)

Most of the time, if the sky is blue, you will get something worthwhile. Try it, and rotate the filter to see the effect in the viewfinder. Some people say you can't use a polariser with a very wide-angle lens but that's rubbish. Of course you can, but if the sun is low (not usually a problem if the sun is high) because wide angles take in a large amount of sky, the polarised zone can appear as a dark patch. If you get that, sometimes it doesn't matter, sometimes the effect is made less visible by clouds, or you can zoom longer to make it less prominent, or rotate the filter to reduce the effect (you can also shift it around a little with rotation) or if all else fails, just take it off.

The angle for reflections is 30-40 degrees to the surface. Polarisers don't work on metal because light is part of the electro-magnetic spectrum, but painted metail is fine, eg cars.

Try this. Find a dark shiny car and stand at 30-40 degs to the side. As you rotate the filter, the reflections will come and go from the doors, and do the same off the roof, windscreen and bonnet, at 90 degrees to eachother. You can't have both at the same time.

If you're shooting water, the rotation of the filter is usually about the same to both darken the sky and kill the surface reflections, which is handy. Same for motorsport - you can get a blue sky and reduce windscreen reflections at the same time, if you're lucky.

Use a polariser with care on people. It can take the shine off skin - sometimes effective, eg shiny bald heads, sometimes makes them look a bit like putty. The trick with polarisers is to know when they're likely to work, then give it a try and rotate for best effect. For landscapes especially, chances are you'll like it :thumbs:
 
@HoppyUK Awh that posts been an amazing guide, thank you very much! I'll have to invest in a filter & have a little experiment with angles & exposures. I mostly shoot portraits & I'm in love with those rare shots that're perfectly exposed in beautiful natural light with dramatic skies. I won't need a filter for every shot I take of course, I don't want it to ruin the effect on a model obviously but no doubt it'll assist me when I need it to. Many photographers say that a filter is an essential part of their kit & its an avenue I haven't explored until now so why not!? Thanks again for the advice :}
 
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