Hi and thanks for the vlog. Just a point that occurs to me - using filters is s destructive method, whereas using bracketing in non-destructive. I prefer bracketing ...
I much prefer bracketing but I usually merge my images using luminosity masks in Photoshop because they give me more control than Lightroom's HDR merge; I think of filters as a form of destructive editing because information in shadow areas is lost at capture. That said, there is one situation that you didn't mention in which filters are preferable and that is when there is possible subject movement. With filters you are taking a single image, whereas when bracketing the subject may move between one shot and another. This is not often the case with landscape photography but sometimes it is. But thank you again for another interesting video. Much appreciated.
I totally agree with you. Bracketing is the optimal way to control a high dynamic scene whereas grad filters can actually introduce a few hurdles when editing the raw file. I guess if you using a soft grad and not darkening the foreground too much it's ok. I've seen lots of posts on instagram where using a grad filter has ruined the image.
Thanks for the vlog. I think there is a time and place for both methods and it is up to the photographer to decide which is appropriate at the time. I don't think that speed of use should be a determining factor in landscape photography.
I prefer filters when I can use them. I like seeing the image in camera looking nearly as I want the outcome after processing. It’s also better for me when there may be movement such as wind blowing leaves and such. With bracketing, I feel that it’s easy to get motion blur when stacking together bracketed shots.
I much prefer bracketing and have not used a grad nd for many years. Bracketing allows for so much more control especially when using luminosity masking. Filters are a total pain in the field and slow the process down TOO much in my opinion. Plus you’re introducing all kinds of extra layers of glass in front of the lens that degrade image quality and introduce more flare and reflections. Filters are more time consuming in the field and bracketing is more time consuming in post but offers far more control. I’d say it’s a wash in terms of time especially once you get good at merging/masking. One tip in general I would offer is to get familiar with using the range masks in Lightroom/Camera RAW for your adjustments. With those you can selectively choose which tones or colors are affected by the adjustments. Thanks for the nice video!
I prefer the nd filters. Simply because i like using them, they slow me down. Also i prefer investing time outside then in front of the computer. Everybody should do, what he likes, there is no wrong or right. In windy Situations or on the coast, i find the filters easier to use.
My Mental Process: I never do less than three bracketed shots. As time has gone forward I usually do at least five. I do an HDR, but I also import all the photos into layers along with the HDR. But for me the mostest important thing is that I will take many weeks (can we all say "months") to refine a photo, and to do that I need all of the information... not just two brackets. Being lazy with HDR will produce grotesque images and unfavorable experiences.
Yes the filter looks better... with a fast edit. But... A little more time spent in lightroom hands down beats the faff of messing around with filters in bad weather, carrying them on long hikes and the ridiculous cost of buying decent quality filters in the first place.
If you look at the stick on the last image, you'll notice how bright and detailed the lower half is, then how it is black with no details when it reaches the sky. This is why grad filters are destructive to your image. That photo looks terrible and unnatural because the filter made half of the stick 3 stops underexposed. If you want better results than what you'll ever get with using hdr in lightroom and using expensive grad filters that cost several hundred dollars (sometimes more), learn how to blend bracketed shots in Photoshop using luminosity masks. It takes some effort learning the technique but your photos will look more professional and believe it or not, it takes a similar amount of time blending the images together than it does trying to fix an image with heavily underexposed areas caused by grad filters.
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You're a good teacher Photo Tom. I always get a lot from your vlogs!
Thank you for your feedback
I find I get much better results with bracketed shots, and with a lot less trouble than mounting filters. Filters can be a real pain in bad weather!
Hi and thanks for the vlog. Just a point that occurs to me - using filters is s destructive method, whereas using bracketing in non-destructive. I prefer bracketing ...
I much prefer bracketing but I usually merge my images using luminosity masks in Photoshop because they give me more control than Lightroom's HDR merge; I think of filters as a form of destructive editing because information in shadow areas is lost at capture. That said, there is one situation that you didn't mention in which filters are preferable and that is when there is possible subject movement. With filters you are taking a single image, whereas when bracketing the subject may move between one shot and another. This is not often the case with landscape photography but sometimes it is. But thank you again for another interesting video. Much appreciated.
I totally agree with you. Bracketing is the optimal way to control a high dynamic scene whereas grad filters can actually introduce a few hurdles when editing the raw file. I guess if you using a soft grad and not darkening the foreground too much it's ok. I've seen lots of posts on instagram where using a grad filter has ruined the image.
Once a person learns to exposure blend using luminosity masks they never go back :-)
@@NickPage And I learned how to do that from you Nick. Thanks. :)
Bravo Toma! Mulțumim!
Thanks for the vlog. I think there is a time and place for both methods and it is up to the photographer to decide which is appropriate at the time. I don't think that speed of use should be a determining factor in landscape photography.
I prefer filters when I can use them. I like seeing the image in camera looking nearly as I want the outcome after processing. It’s also better for me when there may be movement such as wind blowing leaves and such. With bracketing, I feel that it’s easy to get motion blur when stacking together bracketed shots.
I much prefer bracketing and have not used a grad nd for many years. Bracketing allows for so much more control especially when using luminosity masking. Filters are a total pain in the field and slow the process down TOO much in my opinion. Plus you’re introducing all kinds of extra layers of glass in front of the lens that degrade image quality and introduce more flare and reflections. Filters are more time consuming in the field and bracketing is more time consuming in post but offers far more control. I’d say it’s a wash in terms of time especially once you get good at merging/masking. One tip in general I would offer is to get familiar with using the range masks in Lightroom/Camera RAW for your adjustments. With those you can selectively choose which tones or colors are affected by the adjustments. Thanks for the nice video!
I prefer the nd filters. Simply because i like using them, they slow me down. Also i prefer investing time outside then in front of the computer. Everybody should do, what he likes, there is no wrong or right. In windy Situations or on the coast, i find the filters easier to use.
My Mental Process: I never do less than three bracketed shots. As time has gone forward I usually do at least five. I do an HDR, but I also import all the photos into layers along with the HDR. But for me the mostest important thing is that I will take many weeks (can we all say "months") to refine a photo, and to do that I need all of the information... not just two brackets. Being lazy with HDR will produce grotesque images and unfavorable experiences.
Yes the filter looks better... with a fast edit. But... A little more time spent in lightroom hands down beats the faff of messing around with filters in bad weather, carrying them on long hikes and the ridiculous cost of buying decent quality filters in the first place.
You didn't convince me to the filters 😉
If you look at the stick on the last image, you'll notice how bright and detailed the lower half is, then how it is black with no details when it reaches the sky. This is why grad filters are destructive to your image. That photo looks terrible and unnatural because the filter made half of the stick 3 stops underexposed. If you want better results than what you'll ever get with using hdr in lightroom and using expensive grad filters that cost several hundred dollars (sometimes more), learn how to blend bracketed shots in Photoshop using luminosity masks. It takes some effort learning the technique but your photos will look more professional and believe it or not, it takes a similar amount of time blending the images together than it does trying to fix an image with heavily underexposed areas caused by grad filters.
Bracketing is more flexible.
Filters for me ,hands down.