SPECIAL EFFECT FILTERS
Make your images stand out by applying eye-catching, yet appropriate, effects
There was a time when the array of filters available on the market was slightly overwhelming. Companies such as
Cokin provided a huge range of types and variants of filters, at a price many beginners could afford. This allowed photographers to try different photo styles for relatively little investment.
However, this experimentation inevitably led to improper usage, creating a wave of photographs with wacky colour casts, odd transitions and over-filtration. Ultimately, this had a negative impact on the quality of images associated with some filter models.
This has been replicated in the digital age, of course, with novice photographers – and some professionals, too – overusing the effects in Photoshop. However, the ease with which software filters can be removed or turned down on a stepless basis does at least make it easier to find the filtration sweet spot successfully.
Generally speaking, special effect filters have gained a bad name over the years, though perhaps unfairly so. With care, it is possible to use them to create custom effects or target localised colours in certain areas of a shot. Their popularity has been boosted recently by the increase in video content creation, where the demands of cinema and photography have begun to overlap more than ever.
With a moving image, it is almost always easier to apply practical effects, which is why soft focus and colour filters have made a comeback. In terms of still photography, when used with restraint, these filters can add subtle glows and colour enhancements, which have the power to transform a mundane scene into something more energetic.
As with all special effects, don’t use a filter as a reason to shoot an image. Find a good subject first, then decide whether the filter can add a missing element.