If you have thumbed through the pages of a photo magazine recently, chances are good you have seen the stunning effects created by ND filters. My palms start sweating when I see puffy clouds streaking across the sky. I know these clouds will look magical when I shoot at slow shutter speeds from 1-4 minutes using my 10- and 15-stop Singh-Ray Mor-Slo ND filters. Honestly, I look at clouds differently now knowing what transformative effects I can create using these filters. …
Random thoughts….
Ramblings from the White Mountains Just wrapped up a photography/camping trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire – and spent a lot of time roaming the White Mountains in exploration of the abundant photo opportunities. They are spread out, but so are many of the iconic areas, so this was nothing new to us. There were numerous waterfalls in the area and, if you head down to the Lakes Region, you’ll find countless lakes and reflections. I have two …
Polarizers, how they work, when and how to use them…
Editor’s note: This is an updated article on polarization that E.J. originally wrote for the Singh-Ray blog several years ago. The spring and summer are definitely times you want to have your polarizer with you, so we thought this might be helpful. Polarizing filters are one of the most misunderstood areas of photography that I encounter while teaching and moderating online technical forums on photography. It seems that only flash photography is more misunderstood in my classes and workshops. There …
Tips for using your Mor-Slo™ 10-stop solid neutral density filter
Editor’s note: This post is the second in a series on using solid neutral density filters, arguably one of today’s most popular creative tools for photographers. Singh-Ray pioneered the development of these filters and now offers a choice of 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-stop Mor-Slo filters. We’re often asked, “Which lens filter should I have in my bag?” but that clearly depends on the types of effects/images you are looking for, the time of day and the lighting conditions. You …
Tips for using your Mor-Slo™ 5-stop solid neutral density filter
Editor’s note: This post is a little different from our regular feature articles by leading photographers using Singh-Ray filters. Instead, it is a response to numerous inquiries we’ve received for tips on using solid neutral density filters, arguably one of today’s most popular creative tools for photographers. Singh-Ray pioneered the development of these filters and now offers a choice of 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-stops. We’re often asked, “Which should I have in my bag?” but that clearly depends on …
Photographing moving water
Moving water – waterfalls, rivers, streams and surf – often presents unique challenges to the landscape photographer. The most common way to capture images of moving water is to use a slower shutter speed. But how slow should the shutter speed be? The answer largely depends on the effect you are looking for in the final image. I normally divide my approach to shooting moving water into these three desired effects: Silky Milky Textural The silky effect is generally a …
“Cleanse your palette” Another approach to using solid neutral density filters
Solid neutral density filters – I use Singh-Ray Mor-Slo and George Lepp solid ND filters – have become increasingly popular the past few years. Their ability to increase exposure times from 1-stop to 20-stops (2x to, amazingly, more than 1,000,000x) helps to emphasize motion, thus adding a soft and ephemeral feel to moving elements such as waterfalls and clouds. However, there is another use for these filters beyond emphasizing motion, and that is to hide it. To soften detail. To …
Photographing the Yosemite, Part 2: Summer in the High Country
In the summer months at the Yosemite, it’s the high country for me. And you don’t need to get far into the wilderness to experience it. David Brower’s ice cream cone scenario often comes to mind as we leave Tuolumne Meadows on route to the Yosemite high camps beyond. The camps were built in the 1920’s mostly and remain one of my favorite locations for many reasons. There are six of them and they are some six to ten miles …
Filters Still Have an Important Role in High-Quality Photography
I recently returned from a week in South Dakota and it was an exhilarating, wonderful experience. I’d just switched to Singh-Ray 4×6 inch Galen Rowell neutral density grads from the “P” size, so I was looking forward to trying out these larger filters with my usual hand-holding technique. Here is how I approach hand-holding ND grads; it’s quite an easy process, and best of all, it obviously doesn’t require futzing around with a bulky filter holder. I often stack up …
George Lepp Letter
A note from George Lepp Like most photographers, I used less expensive lenses and accessories when I began photographing nature subjects 40 years ago; I pushed them to the max to deliver the best results they could offer. My first filters were probably as good as my lenses, but as I moved to Canon’s top-of-the-line pro gear, I also upgraded my filters to Singh-Ray. It made no sense to buy the best lenses available and top themm off with a …