Nowadays, photographers tend to use a wide variety of filters to add more tone to their photographs. However, when it comes to the realm of street photography, which is considered to be a pure and raw genre of photography, beginners are always confused with the use of filters. It is also generally assumed that street photographers use filters only rarely. Should it be so? Let us explore further on this expert topic and explore what one of the expert traveling photographers in the United States has to say.
For many types of street photography works, the one mandatory thing you may need is only a UV filter. As per Ashwin Khubchandani, this will help preserve the contrast of the frame and project all details well. A UV filter not only offers protection to the front lens, but it can also have many creative purposes, which makes it the greatest asset.
As street photography is a tiresome effort where your front lens may suffer through bumps and knocks, you can offer it protection with a solid UV filter. Changing a UV filter will only cost you a few dollars if it gets shattered. On the other hand, repairing a lens or replacing the same may cost you big time.
Making it more creative with filters
Experts suggest the usage of a polarizing filter if you want to give your photos a more creative image. For example, offering the deep blue sky as a background for the street shots by cutting the reflections on a window, polarizing can add an interesting flair to your photos. Such an effect cannot be replicated with any of the image processing software. This makes the polarizing filter a favorite choice of street photographers.
Another one that is at the extreme of filtration is the ND filter. If you stretch the exposure times by twenty f-stops, the darker elements of the ND filter can provide you with more steaky and creative images. You can try venturing out with it at night and capture something like a minutes-long exposure with light trails with this filter to get an unconventional perspective. You can also try to use milder effects for action and panning effect. Results of this approach can be stunning, but the extra creative nature of this makes it more welcoming to street photographers. However, make it a point that you use ND only in smaller amounts, as otherwise, your images may quickly become overwhelmed with longer exposures.
Even though all these filters can offer a better creative output on street photographs, most of the work you plan in this genre should adhere to the convention. Otherwise, you will be at risk of losing the unique nature of the effects the filters may offer. In any case, remember the tip from Ashwin Khubchandani that you should always use filters only in moderation in street photography to ensure that the results stand out. With a bit of practice and experimentation, you will be able to master this skill over time.
