B&W with Filters

[Johnboy2978]

Hey all,
I recently picked up a 3 pack of Tiffen color filters for B/W photography (R/G/Y) and was wondering, those of you who primarily do B/W, do you typically use the color filters to enhance them or no? If so, which color do use most often? (with film of course)

Thanks

 

[Meysha]

Here's some info I dug up on a Red filter with B&W photos.
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19450&highlight=Black+white+Filters

 

[KevinR]

I personally don't use filters. A couple of reasons. I don't like putting anymore glass on a lens. I am usually going for maximum sharpness. Just a pesonal thing. The other reason is that I print my own work and I know I can add filtration during the enlarging process. But, I was not printing the negs, I would look at the red to increase my contrast.

 

[SLOShooter]

I use red the most, but only because I really like contrasty images.

 

[Johnboy2978]

From what I've read the Red (25) is best for increasing contrast of clouds, and simulating moonlight during the day. The green (13) creates better skin tones in portraits under tungsten lighting, and the Yellow (6) darkens the sky and absorbs blue outdoors. Is that pretty much the primary uses you guys have for them?

Also in another post, someone had asked about adjusting for over/underexposure and Big Mike had replied that if you are getting the metering from the camera, it should compensate for the filter. I hadn't thought much about that, but seems logical. Any other opinions of this?

 

[ksmattfish]

I use filters occasionally. I'll use the red, orange, or yellow for darkening skies, foliage, etc... Red for IR. Green for some portraits; I read somewhere that a green filter makes men appear swarthy.

 

[Bedside_Priest]

Red enhances reds an oranges while darkening blues
yellow enhances yellows and skin tones
Blue enhances blues and darkens about everything else exept white

 

[ksmattfish]

Here's a color wheel for light. A colored filter lets it's own color, and similar colors, through, and blocks colors on the opposite side of the color wheel. This makes the colors it lets through look lighter in tone, and those that it blocks will look darker.

 

[Contra|Brett|]

to increase the contrast in the sky and clouds, would a red or yellow be best, is the sky blue or cyan, or does it just depend on the day?

 

[ksmattfish]

to increase the contrast in the sky and clouds, would a red or yellow be best, is the sky blue or cyan, or does it just depend on the day?

With a "sky blue" sky (usually close to cyan) yellow increases contrast some, orange a little more, and red the most.