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Chapter 5: Elements of Exposure, Filtration

Filtration in photography involves placing glass, resin, or plastic filters over the lens to control light, color, and image quality. There are three important filters you should know:

  • ND Filters
    • Neutral Density (ND) Filters act as sunglasses for the lens, reducing light to allow a wider aperture or slower shutter speeds for smoother motion blur in videos without overexposing.
    • Variable ND (VND) Filters are single filters that covers a range of light reduction, offering versatility for changing lighting conditions.
  • Polarizer Filters
    • Circular Polarizers (CPL) cut reflections on glass or water, darken skies, and increase contrast.  These filters are good for landscape and urban scene photos/videos. 
  • Diffusion Filters
    • Diffusion or Mist Filters soften digital images, reduce contrast, and can create a dreamlike haze around lights sources, often used to make digital footage look more filmic.
  • UV/Haze Filters 
    • Primarily used to protect the lens from scratches, dust, and moisture. It can also slightly reduce haze.
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