Thursday 2 August 2012

Insight 11: Looking at the World Through Orange Sunglasses


I have a Hoya orange filter and I’ve always wanted to experiment shooting colour photos with it. Orange filters are used to either increase the contrast of black & white photos or to dramatise sunscapes.
I’ve tried using an orange filter and a circular polariser filter (CPL) on the same subject and the resulting black & white photo is very similar. A CPL is like a pair of dark sunglasses and it’s very useful for shooting shiny objects like a lake or glass buildings that are lit by a strong sunlight. It can also up bring up the contrast in your photos. In fact when I’m shooting on black & white film I’d prefer to use a CPL because the blacks and the whites are highlighted through my viewfinder.

The above is an example of a CPL in action.
Two weeks ago I took my camera out to see what colour photos will work with an orange filter.

I’ve noticed that the orange filter enhances the greens especially when it’s coming from a fluorescent light source eg. the top of the fridge. The result is a feeling of danger which you can apply to urban settings.

Besides the greens, the reds are also enhanced. If I didn’t use my orange filter the wooden beams will not be so striking.
Feel free to ask me any questions about photography. I’m not an expert but I’ll share with you what I know about photographing on film and on digital.
P.S. I also know a little bit about cinematography (oops, I’m showing off here!)