How to Use Color Filters in Black and White Photography

In today’s “digital world” photographers usually don’t consider using camera filters as a creative option. If you don’t want the sky to be blue, just change it in an image editing program, right? I wonder what Ansel Adams would have done with the new technology.

In any case, using filters is still an option in digital and film photography. You may want to use a red filter to darken the clouds and make them stand out, or a green filter to bring out the red in apples. I am a firm believer that you have to be able to visualize an image in your mind before you can photograph it. Filters are another “composition tool” that allow you to control the light during shooting and avoid having to change everything in post production. Here are some ways to work with color filters.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Camera
• Red, Blue and Green Camera Filters
• Monochrome Film for Conventional Cameras

1. Color Image This is a color image of a still life that we will use to illustrate how to use color filters. There are a number of memory colors that you can reference to show you the impact of the filter on the color. A memory color is one that is simple to recall in your mind. The apples are red. The leaves are green. The flower centers are yellowish and the single rose is red. As you look through the examples, keep these colors in mind.
2. Monochrome Image This is the same scene shot in black and white. These images were shot on a digital camera with mixed ambient light and some flash. The same principles apply in black and white film photography. Before the digital age, all printed color pictures were manufactured using black and white color separation photography. Color pictures would be imaged onto separate films, each through a different filter to make yellow, magenta and cyan films. This is known as color separation imaging. Each film would be used to make a separate printing plate that would then be run on a four-color printing press
3. Red Filter A color filter used with monochrome film will lighten colors similar to the filter by absorbing the light. This image was shot through a red filter. Notice that the rose and apples are much lighter. This is due to the red filter absorbing the red light and not allowing as much red light to strike the sensor or film.
4. Green Filter A filter can also be used to darken a complimentary color. This shot was taken through a green filter. The complimentary color to green is magenta. Notice how using this filter darkened the tone of the apple and red rose. Both of these colors have a high amount of magenta.
5. Yellow Filter This exposure was taken through a yellow filter. The complimentary to yellow is blue and Ansel Adams used to use yellow filters a lot to darken skies. There is no real blue color in this picture, but notice the yellow centers of the flower are much lighter in tone.
   
   * Remember: the use of all filters is to be able to correct or control the light. Filters help to control the lighting of a scene during image capture. The more elements you deal with during shooting, the less you will have to do during post production to perfect your image.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a B12 filter to correct color temperature from outdoor light to indoor when using outdoor film inside.
• Use an 85A filter to correct color temperature from indoor light to outdoor light when using tungsten film outdoors.
• Experiment with filters for special effects and unique lighting effects.