When taking shooting outdoors, one of a photographer's best allies is the camera filter.
This is a necessity particularly when sunlight is involved.
It is because this camera accessory helps in managing the amount of light while you're taking photos of your favorite subjects such as nature, landscape and the like.
A camera filter is a transparent optical element that changes the properties of light going through the camera lens.
It affects sharpness, color, contrast and light intensity.
In short, helps in enhancing the image being captured by your equipment.
Additionally, it can create wonderful special effects in the images you're trying to capture with your camera lens.
The effects that can be created by filters are varied such that it allows the photographer to actually control the message he or she is trying to convey.
Depending on one's goal, the filters can assist camera owners in manipulating thoughts and emotions and even make images as real as they can be despite the fact that they've been artificially produced.
There are different types of camera filters on the market today.
For photography enthusiasts who have an eye for landscapes, the polarizer is strongly recommended.
This circular tool helps in saturating color and contrast thereby cutting down on haze and reflected sunlight.
The effect it creates is a clear blue sky with clouds and colors that are able to stand out.
However, it also has the ability to darken a blue sky such as when using color as well as black and white film.
It can also control unwanted reflections from certain surfaces such as when you're taking photos of water or glass during which your ideal angle should be at 33 degrees incident to them.
Ultraviolet filters are a must when shooting frequently under intense heat notably at high altitudes and at locations.
This digital camera accessory absorbs UV light without any effect on the lighting condition of the images you're taking.
Infra-red filters are used in special situations that require the use of black and white or color films sensitive to infra-red.
In this case, different filters are utilized to prevent any unwanted light.
Filters in red, orange and yellow help improve contrast and alter color.
Neutral density (ND) filters are usually ideal to use when photographer want to obtain the right exposure in a situation that involves too much light intensity.
This type of filter is capable of absorbing light evenly without the need to change lens opening and shifting colors.
It can also be used together with other filters.
Graduate ND filters is necessary when you're taking shots of very bright scenes where you don't have control of the light.
This type is available in a variety of combination colors to eliminate the use of two filters.
Lens filters are also available in various grades depending on the effect you want to achieve in different situations.
Basically, choosing the higher grade number produces a stronger effect.
So with a filter on your equipment, you can freely take images of landscapes even when there's much sunlight.
This also applies when you're using a video camera.