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Garry Black Photography

Question:

I would like to get my first graduated ND filter and experiment with it. I think I will get a Cokin P holder and a HiTech square soft edge grad ND. At this time I think I will just buy one and see how often I will need it. I am most interested in landscape shooting, and I have had experiences when I photograph people or just flowers or trees in the foreground and the mountains under an afternoon sun in the background are washed out (or the things in the foreground gets very dark in the print) My question is, for such situations, do I need a grad 2-stop or 3-stop? If I have to choose ONE grad ND, which one will be more likely needed, a 2-stop or 3-stop soft? On sunny days, what's the difference between the sky and open shade (2-stop, 3-stop or more)? What's the effect if I used 3-stop grad ND when it really should require a 2-stop grad ND?

Answer:

If you are really serious about using grad filters you should at least buy two of them, a 1 stop as well as a 2 stop. The great thing about having these 2 filters is that you can sandwich them together to give you a 3 stop filter. Don't overlap them completely together, place one slightly higher than the other to give you a softer gradation.

It is difficult to say which one you will need at any given time. If you are photographing on a bright sunny day with your subject in open shade and including a bright background you will probably do best with a 2 stop, in darker shade a 3 stop. When photographing a landscape that is in bright sunlight try using a 1 stop filter on the sky, it will slightly darken the sky and make the landscape really stand out.

Generally, when photographing at sunrise or sunset if you use a 3 stop grad filter you should have complete balance between the sky and the foreground. Sometimes you may want this or you may want to keep the sky a little brighter than the foreground, then use a 2 stop.