Originally posted in March, 2010, this article from Darwin Wiggett contains some truly fundamental information about using filters for photographers to learn or review. Each time award-winning photographer and author Darwin Wiggett writes about filters, he is sharing his own years of successful experience. His stories featured on this blog have become a trusted reference source for many visitors. Now Darwin discusses the essential filters for controlling the luminance or contrast range of digital images and offers us his perspective …
Singh-Ray Polarizing filters and Wildlife Photography
View PostGet into the flow… using filters for dramatic waterfall photography
Editor’s note: Robert Clark is a master of waterfall photography. He is a graphic designer, architect, landscape photographer and teacher – and works as a media designer, manager and frequent photographer for the National Park Service. This post is loaded with Bob’s great waterfall shots and tips! Waterfall photography is a very popular among landscape photographers. Of all the landscape images I make, I find that shooting waterfalls remains my favorite in terms of subject matter. Capturing the very real …
Marking my first decade as a nature photographer with eight-day trip to the Canadian Rockies
I was 19 and determined to become a nature photographer as well as a studio artist. Last May, I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts — concentrating in Photography — from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I am now a fine arts graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington expecting to graduate in 2014. As I have advanced in my studies, I have remained undecided on my future career path to becoming a professional nature photographer. …
Chasing Waterfalls
View PostYosemite Moonbows
Moonbow and starry sky over Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California Yosemite National Park is a mecca for adventure and nature photography with its steep granite walls, lush meadows, alpine spires, and booming waterfalls. I’ve spent four decades exploring its unique features and it always feels like home whenever I return. But as with any well-loved location, it’s easy to find yourself in a creative quandary when it comes to seeking out new perspectives. With iconic landmarks around every turn, …
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 …
Trip report: bad weather is good weather!
Recently I was leading a workshop for American Nature Photography Workshops in Arches National Park, and once again I was reminded of a photography truth; bad weather is good weather. Sure, it’s no fun when the forecast goes south after you have been planning your photography excursion for months. But the real question is what will you do with it? I think of bad weather as a unique opportunity to create original images. Especially if you have the tools to …
Shooting summer wildflowers
Kevin McNeal is a master at shooting wildflowers, as these photos attest. Here he discusses the one essential filter he uses for every one of his wildflower scenes and why. With summer comes the arrival of wildflowers, in all their glory. In my experience, one of the most challenging aspects of nature photography is successfully shooting wildflowers. But nothing is more rewarding when the outcome is what you’ve tried to achieve. I’ve made many mistakes over the past few years …
Visiting NYC with Singh-Ray Mor-Slo ND filters to shoot very long exposures
Living in Colorado, I don’t always have opportunities to do urban photography, so when I get a chance to go back east, I always bring along my creative filters. When I was in New York City for the Photo Plus Expo, I brought my two newest filters, the Singh-Ray 5-stop and 10-stop Mor-Slo filters. The image above is a good example of how these filters let me capture very long exposures even in broad daylight. Singh-Ray Mor-Slo filters are a …