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General => General discussion => Topic started by: shepgti on 07 September 2011, 12:44
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Right thought i would do a small how to use filters(mainly grad filters)
ok so there are two ways you can use graduated filters;
1. with a filter in front of the lense before taking the shot
2.During the editing stage (post process eg in lightroom)
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1. Cokin P system (filter in front of lense)
here is a pic showing the setup of the cokin p system. main things you will need to use this system are as follows;
- Adapter to fit your lens thread size
- Filter holder
- Filters (wide range of filters can be used)
(http://www.jamesbrittin.com/digi1.jpg)
Adavantages of using this system is that you will see a 'live' image of what you are going to shoot with the filter in place which may influence the angle/postion/location you shoot.
2. Post process filters (Using Lightroom)
Lightroom's graduated filter tool can be a very powerful tool when used correctly and can turn a seeming dull picture into a more exciting one (example further down).
Here is a screen shot of the grad filter menu in lightroom
(http://www.swpp.co.uk/professional_imagemaker/p4b_graduated_filter_1.jpg)
Key things to remember using this tool;
1.To apply the filter and keep it horizontal, hold down the shift key(dont know what it is on a mac!sorry)
2. Each picture will need differnt settings on each slider so play with them until you get the result your after.
3. Colour can be added to your filter which acts inependantly from the image itself therefore you can have a B&W image with a hint of colour from the filter which can give a nice effect.
here is a prime example of what a graduated filter can do
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u261/shep306/DSC_0074.jpg)
becomes..
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5307/5852591800_f8d0b9ba9c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shepgti/5852591800/)
Storm a-brewin' (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shepgti/5852591800/) by shepgti (http://www.flickr.com/people/shepgti/), on Flickr
Post processing carried out as follows;
cutsom tweaked infra red preset
straightend slightly
grad filter to sky (blue tint)
a poor vingette which was put on by accident! :laugh:
Feel free to add anything to this how to or ask any questions.
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:cool:
Think i need to get lightroom! seems to be a bit more focused on the pp side than PS , guess both have thier uses :)
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I assume to achieve this effect in PS, it is a case of dragging a graduation / gradient onto a new layer on top of your image and positioning accordingly / changing colours etc?
Or is there a better way to do it?
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Download the free trial, I did yesterday and am loving it!
I also bought a Cokin P series holder And adapter ring, just need some filters to go in it!
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I assume to achieve this effect in PS, it is a case of dragging a graduation / gradient onto a new layer on top of your image and positioning accordingly / changing colours etc?
Or is there a better way to do it?
should give the same result doing it like this and using the correct layer style for the grad layer (something like screen or overylay i would guess)
get the lightroom trial :wink:
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Download the free trial, I did yesterday and am loving it!
I also bought a Cokin P series holder And adapter ring, just need some filters to go in it!
i have both cokin and kood filters and the kood filters are half the price but not half the quality :wink:
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Yeah I might just do that...see what all the fuss is about lol
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I'll look into that, thanks. What ones should I start with?
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I'll look into that, thanks. What ones should I start with?
ones i use most are, pola filter, a 3 or 4 stop netural density for longer exposure work, and a ND grad filter (i do also have a few coloured grads)
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:cool:
Think i need to get lightroom! seems to be a bit more focused on the pp side than PS , guess both have thier uses :)
lightroom is just a wrapper for ACR and very limited IMO
I assume to achieve this effect in PS, it is a case of dragging a graduation / gradient onto a new layer on top of your image and positioning accordingly / changing colours etc?
Or is there a better way to do it?
open the image in ACR via Adobe bridge, select the gradient tool and follow shep's instructions :wink:
IIRC ACR gives you the mid / transition point of the gradient where LR doesn't
I'll look into that, thanks. What ones should I start with?
ones i use most are, pola filter, a 3 or 4 stop netural density for longer exposure work, and a ND grad filter (i do also have a few coloured grads)
I'd say 8 stop ND as 4 still lets a lot of light in, or get 2 * 4 and stack them
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Stickied!
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cheers nick :cool:
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ive read a few tutorials for grad filters in PS but tbh the best results are buy using the filters themselfs, ive got a few and the holder just need to get out more with them :)
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Probably a reasonable starting kit :
http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/photographic/square-filters/p-type/kood-ptype-nd-filter-kit-58mm-p-1250.html
ALthough remember to buy the kit to fit your lense.
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Next question hard or soft graduated filters?
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Next question hard or soft graduated filters?
soft, what you can do is place a ND filter in part way between the transition to harden it.
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Cheers Ridg, going to order a ND2 and ND4 by Kood on Friday. Only £10 a piece so should serve their purpose. From an eBay shop who are based in Rochester which is handy to know if you need stuff desperately. They're called Crooked Imaging and have a website too and come recommended on Talk Photography.
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i get mine from these guys http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/ as their only down the road from me.
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I inherited a cokin a-system (a system = amateur, smaller, probably not made now, P system = professional, larger) set from my dad. It's a smaller system but fits the 49mm thread on my 50mm prime lens. Haven't got any grad filters for it yet.
London Camera Exchange near my work have a big box of secondhand filters, so might pick some up for pennies.
I have used the grad filter in ACR a number of times, and it's ok, though I can't seem to get it to do black grad filter very well, just colours.
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i get mine from these guys http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/ as their only down the road from me.
Sorry dude bit off Topic but thats Saunton sands beach in N.Devon aint it???
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i get mine from these guys http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/ as their only down the road from me.
Sorry dude bit off Topic but thats Saunton sands beach in N.Devon aint it???
Guess you mean my signature, your close but no cigar, its woolacombe beach round the corner ;)
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i get mine from these guys http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/ as their only down the road from me.
Sorry dude bit off Topic but thats Saunton sands beach in N.Devon aint it???
Guess you mean my signature, your close but no cigar, its woolacombe beach round the corner ;)
Damm it.......was going to go for woolacombe i live just round the corner :smiley: Great surf!!! :smiley: very nice picture mate!!!
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With apologies for the thread necrophilia, but graduated filters bring back memories of car magazines of the 1980's, when you couldn't buy a copy of Car without it being stuffed full of pictures of cars usually parked in front of a rocky outcrop in the Brecon Beacons under grey, moody, depressingly overcast skies.
I'm involved with a company which supplies car-related content to magazines, and these days I rarely see any shots taken with graduated filters. Which is a shame in some ways.
I've got a set of Cokin filters stashed away somewhere...