Master the art of modern photography

Will Cheung

An imaging journalist and freelance photographer based in London, Cheung has a wealth of experience over several decades. www.williamcheung.co.uk

This month: Filters

These essential accessories will improve your photographs – guaranteed!

Filters can help bring creativity to your images.

Will Cheung

Filters are immensely useful accessories that can help you realise the images that you have imagined but they also have many practical benefits. A protection filter can save your expensive lens from harm, but step into the world of graduated, neutral density and polarising filters, and there’s the opportunity to improve your photos.

If your preferred subjects are street, sports and wildlife, the only filter you need is the protection filter. These filters are clear and while they look like plain glass, they feature advancing coatings to combat flare and reflections and make them easier to clean. Protection filters should be top of the shopping list for every photographer and you’ll need one for each lens. If you own several, you may be tempted to go for cheaper filters, but it pays not to skimp. You’re putting an extra piece of glass in front of the lens and better quality models will ensure there’s no performance drop-off.

For those with more general photographic interests, the question of whether you need filters is one that only you can answer and you could argue that they are not essential. When Adobe added a gradient filter to Photoshop’s toolbox, early adopters realised its power and versatility, and many photographers sold their filters, preferring to apply effects in editing. In recent times, however, camera filters have enjoyed a revival as photographers realised that there was more pleasure to be had from going out in the field and trying to get it right in-camera, rather than spending even more time editing their images on a computer monitor.

Furthermore, some effects are impossible to replicate in editing and others might take a lot of effort to achieve the desired effect. Using extreme NDs or the polariser are prime examples of this. So join us for a dive into the world of filters and see what can be achieved. Enjoy!

Get the knowledge Some filters are essential to have, others less so

If the idea of shooting with filters appeals, there are some key decisions to be made before you start. Getting it wrong could be expensive and disappointing in terms of the user experience. One filter not mentioned below but which should be considered essential is the protection filter. This is a clear filter that screws onto the lens and does exactly what it says: protect the front lens element from dust, fingerprints and physical harm. The benefits of a protection filter are obvious, so even if you don’t intend to use any other filter, buy one for each lens.

Two points, though. First, don’t skimp because cheaper ones can flare badly when shooting towards the light. Second, if you are using a polariser or a filter system, it’s best to remove the protection filter first.