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Living here in the Lowcountry with lots of water around, I find I use my CP filter a lot. I have UV filters for my lenses, mainly to help protect the glass. But I haven't really delved into the myriad of other filters out there.
For example, when would you use a ND filter, or even a graduated ND filter? Or when would you use other filters out there when PS can simulate the effect of some many of these?
I would love to hear your thoughts on the use of filters, which ones should be considered a must have in your bag, and what types of filters are best for certain situations.
CPL is the one filter I use the most (besides UV filters on many lenses). I don't have graduated ND, but couple of ND filters (ND2 and ND8) which were primarily to help with IR photography on my older camera. One other application I've used them for has been to reduce depth of field under bright sunlight. And a couple of times to photograph waterfalls under similar conditions.
No UV filters for me.
I use square filters, and have a bunch of colours for B&W film.
But the ones I use most are my ND and ND grads.
NDs are useful if you want a slow shutter speed, or if it's just too bright and your lens doesn't like to be closed that much. Maybe you want to show water flowing - in most cases that's hard during the day but put on a heavy ND filter, and you could shoot multiple second exposures instead of something to freeze the motion.
ND grads are a little more artistic, you can darken part of the frame. IMHO they are the best in a square format because you can angle and move the location of the cross over. The circle filters allow you to change the angle but not the location of the cross over. You can darken the sky, darken some white rocks in a dark view, darken the reflection off surfaces (similar to a polarizer)
i use a nikon thin circular polarizer. i use a bunch of singray graduated density filters from time to time but the truth is i much rather use subtle hdr than the grads.
no uv or protective glass ever in front of my lenses except the macro because i do work very close sometimes.
i do want to add some neutral density filters square but i still have to research how many stops to get. the adjustable singray is awesome but more than i want to spend.
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