How to Use Filters in Black-and-White Photography

By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor

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There are two main filters to use with black-and white-photography - correction and contrast.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Step1

Study the scene or object you wish to photograph in black and white.

Step2

Look for shadows and how the shadows play among the lighter portions. A filter will lighten its like color, but will darken its contrasting color. For example, a yellow filter will lighten yellow colors, but will darken the blue colors in your scene.

Step3

Try a soft-focus filter to give your portrait or object a soft or hazy look. Portraits will have a dreamy effect.

Step4

Use a polarizer if you are taking pictures of anything that might have a glare such as artwork. A polarizing filter also works well on keeping any glare spots off your scene when shooting in bright sunlight or near water.

Tips & Warnings

Store and carry filters in special filter cases.
Label each pouch with the type of filter and what it does.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 I often use a yellow filter to bring out the contrast between the white clouds and the sky behind - pretty much the way a polarizer would do in color photography. For even more definition, use a red filter, which makes the clouds stand out even more.