Filters

Using colored filters to control contrast in black and white photography is sort of passe, but worth exploring. Of course in the digital age one can use the channel mixer in Photoshop to imitate any color filter without any of the downsides of filters (expense, possible loss of resolution or contrast if you buy cheaper or uncoated filters, loss of light (note that the compensation factor depends on the color of the ambient light!), time needed to pick a filter and screw it on, damaged threads, vignetting, storage, keeping more glass surfaces clean, etc. etc.) but a filter can really make (or break) a photograph.

Storing and changing filters is risky business, I almost dropped my filters twice while shooting some test shots like this. I've found keeping them screwed together in a stack works alright, although it slows you down a bit.

No filter:


Red filter (Vivitar no. 25(A)):


Orange filter (Nikon O56):


Yellow filter (Nikon Y48):


Green filter (Nikon X1):


Blue filter (Tiffen 82B):


I tend to find the deep red filters too dramatic, plus they have a large exposure factor (around 3 stops), although this can be useful to give shallow depth of field in bright light. The yellow filters seem to not be strong enough. I think the orange filter is just right to make your sky dramatic. I've heard green filters are often used to darken skin tones for portraiture, although I have not tried it. Blue filters are rarely used (and mine is really designed to allow the use of tungsten-balanced film outside rather than a true blue filter), but I like the effect it can have. It tends to emphasize textures and atmospheric haze in my experience, which I like, but since it lightens skies and darkens skin tones in unflattering ways I see why most people avoid blue.