filters

When I started out in photography shooting slide film, I was trained to carry two "mandatory" filters: a polarizer and a set of graduated neutral density filters (ND-grads). Polarizing filters not only increase contrast in skies, but they are indispensible in removing glare and reflections from water and foliage. ND-grad filters offer a way of compressing tones in scenes with a large dynamic range.

Singh-Ray filters have long been a part of the landscape for creative photographers, filmmakers and videographers. But the folks at Singh-Ray never seem content to let things stay the way they are. Among the results of their non-passive creative development are two new products that enable you to push the limits of still and motion-picture imaging under bright lighting conditions.

June is the hottest, harshest month of the year. The heat and humidity index might be higher in July and August, but light-wise, June is hands-down hotter and harsher. What I'm referring to is the quality of light that washes down upon us as the sun rises to its highest midday point in the sky—and the net effect of all this bright, high-angle light, photographically speaking, is an excess of blue tint and harsh contrast levels.

For travel, landscape, architectural, and other outdoor photographic applications, your most valuable imaging tool (after your camera and lens) is a Polarizing filter. But the benefits of Polarizing filters come at a cost, specifically, light loss. To soften the blow (and in many cases make the difference between a ‘keeper’ and an ‘almost-but-not-quite-a-keeper’ photo) we now stock Hoya HRT-series Circular Polarizing filters. These filters transmit about 25% more light compared to conventional Polarizing filters, which when shooting works out to about 1/3-stop more light.

 In a perfect world you don’t need a filter. Your lens, even the most basic of kit lenses, comes pre-coated to minimize flare and color aberration. And when not in use, every lens comes with a lens cap that protects the front element of your lens and never ever unknowingly falls off your camera as you stroll down the boulevard. But we don’t live in a perfect world so forget about all of the above. (And by the way, I think you just lost your lens cap)

Your camera's built-in flash is designed to replicate neutral color in your photographs, which means when you take pictures of Uncle Jake and Aunt Millie, their skin-tone shouldn't foretell a looming case of food poisoning or festering liver condition. But sometimes you need a break from the visual comfort of neutrality, and that's where Sticky Filters come into the picture (pun unintended, but I'm running with it anyway).