A bit of background on ND (Neutral Density) filters.
Imagine having a camera and not being able to fully capture beautiful sights such as a sunset or sunrise.
The difference in brightness between the sky and foreground is an age old impediment to capturing images on a camera, whether on conventional film cameras or a modern digital equivalent.
Indeed, the dynamic range that a modern camera can capture can sometimes catch us out, often for many landscape photographers there are limitations to the scenes a camera can capture, whatever the chosen recording medium.
However, there are filters specifically designed to remedy this shortcoming.
Neutral density filters, or ND filters as they are more commonly known, enable the photographer to prevent essential detail from being lost in their images.
ND filters are designed to minimize the contrast difference in a particular scene to a level that is recordable on camera, in other words, reducing the intensity of light reaching the camera sensor, or film.
When shooting towards the sun at sunset or sunrise, the horizon is often very bright.
More often than not the foreground or other background objects may appear dark or even pure black.
The result of such a situation is an image that contains has wide area's of clipping, white or dark area's with little or no detail.
In other words, the image contains dead pixels, there is simply no coming back from this.
Having an ND filter in place enables the photographer to adjust the amount of light hitting the camera sensor, the 'clipped' areas of the image are reduced to within the operating range of the camera sensor.
Effectively the graduated ND filter is acting to balance the intensity of a bright sky with that of the foreground.
Introducing the Singh-Ray Reverse ND filter.
Although traditional ND graduated filters work well in most situations, shooting into the sun at sunrise or sunset can still be problematic.
Many landscape photographers using an ND Grad grumble about skies being unnaturally dark, employing a simple remedy of 'flipping' the filter, reversing the direction of the graduation.
However reversing the filter like this often leads to noticeable distortion lines, and even more grumbles in the world nature and landscape photography! Singh-Ray Reverse ND Filters have been designed to eliminate this flaw, reducing the intensity of filtration in the opposite direction to the regular graduated ND filter.
By placing the most intense part of the filtration over the horizon, diminishing skyward, the intensity of the sun is very effectively 'held back'.
The detail in the sky and foreground are now retained during the exposure, leading to an almost perfectly balanced image.
This is why the Singh-Ray range of reverse graduated ND filters have become the go-to filter in many nature and landscape photography kit bags.
Singh-Ray offer a number of graduation densities, consisting of 1 to 4 stops of neutral density filtration at the horizon.
Some of the benefits associated with using a Singh-Ray Reverse ND include a seamless transition of foreground with bright horizons, neutral colour cast or bias, and the complete customisation of density by manually choosing the filtration point.
If using a 'slot-in' filter system the perfect positioning of the horizon is possible through adjustment of the filters in the holder.
By moving the filters, the photographer is able to regulate the amount of light necessary to capture that perfect shot.
No more worries about blowing those highlights or losing that beautiful foreground detail.
Balancing the foreground with bright horizons is the essence of choosing a Reverse ND filter over any other filter for nature or landscape photography prints.
It enables us capture images with a wide dynamic range, otherwise unobtainable without filtration.
Imagine trying to capture a beautifully captivating sunset, you check your histogram only to be rewarded with blown highlights and a foreground lacking in detail.
It can be a little disheartening.
But with a Singh-Ray Reverse ND filter, capturing the scene as you first imagined is almost always achievable.
There is only one slight drawback to using a Neutral Density filters though, almost all are designed to operate across a flat horizon.
In the case where additional elements infiltrate the foreground or background, they will also be subject to filtration.
Luckily silhouettes do not pose such a problem, but care is needed not to lose any shadow detail.
More often than not though an ND filter enhances those contrasting shadow areas.
Landscape photography prints can really come to life after using one of these filters.
Options Galore A great thing about Singh-Ray range of filters is the great range of customisation options when ordering.
They are able to offer filters for a number of sizes, calibration, density, and other very specific attributes.
This works to the photographer's advantage if using a 'slot-in' filter system, allowing one filter to be used across many lenses.
Providing of course they have the right sized set of filter rings! By selecting a 4x6 or 6x9 filters the landscape photographer is able to regulate the level of graduation with ease.
No more having to pay to attention to the top or bottom of the filter being captured in the image, one less thing to think about while setting up for the shot.
Conclusion These filters don't help you compose the shot or open the shutter for you! Nor will they get you that perfect shot time after time.
However, combine one of these filters with some good old practise and practical experience and you'll go a long way toward capturing your imagination.
Reviews of the Singh Ray range of Reverse ND Filters will attest to the build quality and results that can be achieved by using one of the their filters.
Its probably safe to say those reviews laud the Singh-Ray range of Reverse ND filters for all the right reasons.
To learn a little more about Singh-Ray filters and their range of Reverse ND Grads drop over to their website.
Now its time to get outside and shoot some more, have fun! Barney