Trying my new Graduated ND filter.

[xjrrrdx]

Well we took a drive to Strasbourg France, and I tried my new graduated ND filter, its a B&W .3.

I think I needed to go a little darker but I am not sure its my first ND filter.

1)

2)

3)

4)

And 2 B&W

My wife likes the street one in color but I like this one better.

 

[xjrrrdx]

Also, are there any tips on how to line up the filter properly? I found a spot where the darkest is so I put that to the sky, but I can never tell where the gray starts. I may be retarded though :mrgreen:

 

[Steph]

I cannot really see that you used a ND grad on those pictures (you still have a lot of blown highlights in the sky). Anyway, I don't think most of those pictures are suited to the use of a ND grad filter as you don't have a fairly linear separation between light and dark areas. For example, if you used a stronger ND grad to darken the sky in the cathedral shots you would also darken part of the tower.

To place the transition of your ND grad filter, use a small aperture (such as f22) and use your depth of field preview button. When the lens is stopped down, the transition between clear and dark zones of the filter appears more clearly in the viewfinder.

 

[jdjd1118]

I also see no reason to use a ND Filter for these, no. 4 being the exception with the sky being blown out. That aside, these are some beautiful pictures, no.1 being my favorite although I love the different colors in no. 2.