I believe that long exposures and water are a natural match. Portraying water as fluid seems so much more natural to me. My Singh-Ray Vari-ND lets me easily explore exposures of varying durations by simply adjusting the density from about 2 stops up to 8 stops, or anywhere in between. My strong attraction to long exposures came about because of water. I was intrigued by the way moving water looked at different exposures; a 1-second image looked so completely different …
On the narrowest trails in the most faraway corners of the world
Believe me, my filters are important. In particular three kinds of Singh-Ray filters go with me everywhere. There’s a Hi-Lux filter on each of my lenses, and I also carry a 77mm LB Warming Polarizer and a 77mm Vari-ND filter. Each one of these filters is essential and fits neatly in my camera bag that I have to carry around all day. I keep a Hi-Lux UV filter on each lens because I want the best possible glass between my …
It’s easy to photograph the American West without straining your budget or your back
For the many photographers who live out here, it’s just about heaven. If I have any advice for photographers who don’t live out here, it would be to come visit. Just be sure to bring your camera, a good tripod and all your filters. There’s an infinite supply of dramatic beauty, natural geological wonders, and the historical remains of the recent and ancient past to be enjoyed and documented. And the best part is their easy accessibility to all of …
The Essential Filters for Controlling Contrast in Digital Nature Photography
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 …
When he travels the world, this photojournalist packs only essentials — including his filters
Born and raised in Belleville, Kansas, veteran travel photojournalist Jim Richardson has covered the world for National Geographic magazines since his first story appeared in 1984. “When I captured this image, our location was 54° 24′ 55.885″N, 9° 5′ 38.520″E. So we were due west of Ballyshannon, Ireland, and the sea had turned to glass.” At the time, Jim was with a group aboard the expedition ship National Geographic Endeavor. “Most of the guests were tucking into breakfast (or still …
Learning to photograph where we are, prepares us to photograph anywhere we go
Like many serious landscape photographers,Chris Moore finds that balancing the demands of a busy career, family life, and the search for dramatic landscapes is a challenge. “With just a couple of weeks a year to travel to exotic places,” says Chris, “my appetite for landscape photography has to be fulfilled close to home most of the time. Since integrating Singh-Ray filters into my workflow over the past year, however, I’m capturing more dramatic images wherever I’m shooting. It’s mostly here today, …
Ever wonder who needs a Hi-Lux UV Filter? Here’s your answer…
From National Geographicphotographer Nevada Wier — now somewhere beyond Bangkok on a two-month trip to Myanmar and India — comes a brief note with these two images from her on-going project “Outer India.” Almost always on the move, Nevada’s choice of Singh-Ray filters is quite different from that of most other photographers. “Traveling to remote places all over the world on airlines, through airports and over primitive backroads and bumpy mountain trails places very practical limits on how much equipment I carry. I …
When it comes to capturing unique images in exotic places, she’s ready to go
National Geographic photographer Nevada Wier travels over the back roads and trails of Southeast Asia, India, China, Africa as well as Central Asia and South America. Her dramatic images document some of the world’s most remote tribal areas and cultures from a uniquely intimate, insider’s perspective. Recently Nevada has focused on northern India’s Ladakh region. These three images are from a recent exhibition, A Nomadic Vision, and may be included in her next book. After years of almost always being on the move, …
Protecting your lens and all its sharpness
When travelling around the globe, National Geographic photographer Nevada Wier is always prepared for whatever comes. To capture these two images, for example, she had to adjust quickly. “It was high noon in tropical Myanmar,” Nevada explains, “as I went inside the deep, cool shade of a monastery nestled in the hills of Maurk-U. There were a number of monks chanting on wooden benches. Another monk was meditating under a mosquito net. Although it was blazing sun outside, inside it was dim …
Graduated Neutral Density Filters by Galen Rowell
It’s still difficult to believe that our friend Galen Rowell and his wife Barbara are gone, since his work continues to live on in so many books, magazines, calendars and in our mind’s eye, and he still is such a presence in the lives of his friends, family and photographers everywhere. Galen wrote this column for Outdoor Photographer in 1992 when not many photographers were familiar with Graduated Neutral Density filters, and it provides an interesting perspective and insight into …