As a landscape photographer, I love using lens filters. There are certain benefits you gain in effectively using filters that simply cannot be reproduced in Photoshop. Learning the ins and outs of proper filter use is an art form in and of itself and takes a lot of practice. What I would like to do today is introduce a few of my favorite lens filters, why I use them, and what they can specifically do for your landscape images. I will follow this post up in the future about the technical aspects of filter shooting so you can take this knowledge out to the field with you and create some beautiful images.
Circular Polarizer – A well know but seemingly under appreciated lens filter. Many people dismiss the usefulness of polarizers because of the amazing image editing tools available nowadays but there are a few reasons why I still like using one. Polarizers are most known for deepening blue skies and cutting out glare in water. Yes, skies can be further saturated during post processing, but CP’s also retain contrast in clouds and prevent them from being over exposed, hugely beneficial. Eliminating glare in water can often times be more aesthetically pleasing, but there is another use that can sometimes come in handy: dismissing reflections and glare in windows and glass.
