Buying a Neutral density filter?

Rite so after i had done my research on Neutral density filters. I went and bought a Neutral density 8 filter. Which allowed you a good space of time. I waited about a week as it was coming from china. Unfortunately i was stupid and bought a counterfeit filter.So after complaining i went to my local photography shop on post house whynd.I went and bought a neutral density 5- 6 and a neutral density 8-9. After buying these neutral density filters i went and experimented in my back garden as i did before the next post will be a series of test shots which i did to see the difference.

Neutral density filters?

From the you tube video below I learnt about a new filter called the neutral density filter. What i learnt that was although i know to make a landscape in perfect focus in the depth of fields, i knew that you had to set your camera to the biggest aperture your camera would go to like F22-25.This then allows you to have a longer shutter speed, before i knew the details of how to use a neutral density filter i used the technique above but over expose to get a longer shutter speed then darken the image down a lot in photoshop. I never knew there was another way of going about it until i learnt about the neutral density filter. From what i learnt from the you tube video that when you have your camera on F22-25 the neutral density filter allows you to have a much longer shutter speed compared to not using the filter, hence allowing more time to experiment with blurring(of water, sky's,trees blown by wind etc), filters and effects.

How use Cokin Neutral Density Filters?

Experiment one.

Right so I'm wanting to create dramatic landscapes how do i do them? Im going to start with my filters. For christmas i recieved a christmas present from my cusin of some cokin filters here are the images i took and what has been used( this is proof of reserach and self directed learning)

the image bellow is an image of my back garden with no filter:

The next image was the same image but with a Jessops circular polarizing filter:

The next image bellow was taken with the jessop's circular polarizing filter, and a Cokin neutral density graduated filter:

I think with this demonstration you can rapid;y see the difference between and bare lens,a polarizing filter and a neutral density filter. After doing this demonstration I then went onto you tube and researched Cokin filters, different types of filters and  i found quite a relevant video. Within my next post I'm going to try and link the video that helped me quite a bit.

My brief has been decided.

So as you can see the last post bellow is an exact copy of the brief i had been working on and has been verified by my tutor.I choose to do moving landscapes because its something that I'm passionate about i love effective landscapes and for this project i wanted to do something I liked doing. 

So I've named my brief moving landscapes what does that incur then.

I am going to go out of my way and do my best to achieve a dramatic moving landscape. For my final 10 images i will be producing 10 images 5 black and white and 5 in color.

I will research new techniques and methods that i didn't know before. I will be using filters to achieve different effects and feels to my photography. I recently have been doing some test shooting in my back garden experimenting with my filters i will include them into my next post.

My written Brief:Moving Landscapes

Negotiated Learning Plan - Study Proposalv           

FdA

Commercial Photography

Level 2

Module/s

Work Related Final Project

Academic Year

Student Name

Claire Harman

F/T

x

P/T

Please refer to your Module Handbook for the Learning Outcomes

 

Proposal - Title

Moving Landscapes

Date:

23/3/2010

Content: I am going to produce a series of 10 Images in two different styles 5 in colour and 5 in black and white. I will be using graduated filters on my camera itself and I will also research into using graduated filters on Photoshop, to make the sky’s dramatic and neutral density filters to increase colours. I will also be using polarising filters with the grads to increase the colours within the sky and bring out the clouds.  I have chosen to do this to achieve dramatic landscapes with different feelings like movement, stillness, sunsets and even people within my landscapes. At the same time I want the viewer to feel like they are actually in the subject themselves.  I will be travelling to areas with pleasant scenery and focusing my landscapes on my surrounding area, and I have decided to begin with Robin Hood’s Bay . I will be using different camera techniques i.e. shutter speeds to create a blurring of water and clouds. Apertures to create a depth of field, and re-looking into the zone system in digital to achieve correct tones. I will also be researching into landscape photographers. I will produce the following A series of 10 images being a mixture  5 black and white and 5 colour to a professional standard. A well structured researched blog. A DVD with all 10 images on tiff format and web format.
Associated Research I will start by looking into art  landscape photographers like, Marc Adamus,John Blakemore, Michael Kenna,Charlie Waite, and Jason Theaker. I intend to use the library, journals and magazines and the internet.  Once I have got a feel for what I’m wanting to achieve, will research in depth of shutter speeds, apertures, filters. I will also research into well known techniques landscape photographers use.  I will research into the zone system for digital to understand how to get the right tones within my images right . Most important I will look into composition.  I intend to carefully research the markets for this style of photography and gain a greater understanding of how to sell my work
Learning Goals To develop my  skills to be a landscape photographer. To understand how to produce images good enough for stock, my website and other usage. To learn about how to plan and manage and work the light for landscape photography
Refer to Assignment/Project Brief for Assessment Criteria	Staff
	Student