any tips for graduated ND filter use?

skywalkerbeth · Feb 14, 2008

I am buying the Cokin set tonight - and a 2-stop ND filter - soft edge I think.

Any tips and tricks for how to use them - I heard they are very hard to see the "line" while focusing...

thanks for humoring all my questions!

Arch · Feb 14, 2008

just depends really, like how much sky is in the particular shot... just slide it up and down until you get most the lighter area covered.
If you end up getting any others (i have ND4 and ND8) its sometimes good to 'stagger' them so that the gradient is smoother.... so in other words put one higher than the other. Just play with them bit its quite simple to see how they work... and the ND2 gradient shouldn't be too strong anyway.

skywalkerbeth · Feb 14, 2008

Will two be strong enough to make a difference? thank you for the info...

Arch · Feb 14, 2008

yea you will see the difference with an ND2, in the right circumstances... you wont be able to block too much bright direct light or anything.... but if the sun is to the side or behind you, you should be able to get a nicer exposure of forground and background elements.

skywalkerbeth · Mar 10, 2008

I thought I'd post a few photos I took recently, as experiments. I was down visiting my house in SC and nearby is Wormsloe Plantation (Savannah):

without graduated ND filter:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalkerbeth/2320341375/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalkerbeth/2321154490/

with it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalkerbeth/2320340811/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalkerbeth/2321153996/

Mav · Mar 10, 2008

Looks good! Although just a suggestion, it looks like you might have needed to turn the contrast down a notch or two. Looks a bit on the harsh side with a lot of white from the clouds and then black in the brush. Was that a 2-stop grad ND? Usually that works pretty good for daytime shooting, but I find that I could use a 3 or even a 4-stop grad ND for sunrise/sunset photos.