What are the tips for using a neutral gray gradient lens in landscape photography?

Introduction: For many years, the neutral gray gradient filter has been the secret weapon of professionals. Usually used to control excessively bright light in parts of the photo. Therefore, it is very important. Even in today's digital age, you never go out without a neutral gray gradient filter and a polarizing filter. Now let me talk about the usage techniques.

Compared with HDR, the effect of HDR looks worse. Use a neutral gray gradient filter. This method is simpler, has better effects, and can produce results in your camera immediately. ?In fact, different effects can be observed in the viewfinder by rotating the neutral gray gradient filter.

The upper end of the medium gray gradient mirror is a bit gray, and the lower end is clear, similar to the windshield of your car. The way it works is by rotating it so that the gray part covers the part you want to darken. Of course, the neutral gray gradient filter can also brighten parts of the photo.

There are many types of GND, and there are so many types that they can scare people away. Below are various GND filters.

1. Coating

Most GND filters are not coated. Coated GND filters, such as the latest Tiffens models, are good and can reduce a lot of reflections. Multi-coated filters are usually delicate and require a fine fiber cloth to clean.

2. Specifications

There are two specifications of GND filters: one is flat and rectangular; the other is a circular rotating type like a polarizer. Some people like the first flat, rectangular GND filter because they like to move it up and down. Generally, a round GND filter is used, which is as convenient as using a polarizer. Of course it cannot be moved up and down like the GND filter above. In fact, there is no need to do that. Because this filter transitions smoothly from clear to gray, the actual vertical position is less important. In fact, you can control the angle you want very well by rotating it.

3. Density

The clear part of the GND filter is always clear, but its gray part will have different darkness changes, that is, different densities. This density is usually expressed in terms of bins, or alternatively, as a logarithm.

Neutral gray gradient filters are usually used in extreme or poor light conditions. The function is to look more natural when the light has a strong contrast between light and dark. The eyes naturally have this function, but the camera does not, so a neutral gray gradient filter is needed.

Don’t use it unless you have to. Don't use it to darken daytime skies unless you intentionally want to create a dark sky. The most common situations in which it is used are to darken a particularly bright sky, or when you want to brighten the foreground at sunset, or when shooting landscapes where the bottom is in deep shadow while the top is in the sun ( If the shadow is open, the GND filter may not be used). GND filters are also used indoors to brighten subjects and darken windows.

When the line between light and dark is a straight line, the GND filter works best. If the line between the two is curved or meandering, the effect is not very good. If you are shooting a mountain range on the right and the horizon on the left, you need to rotate the GND mirror slightly clockwise. Even so, the mountain range may be darkened a little more than you want.