Two-minute video demonstrates how a Graduated ND Filter balances the light

From his vast outdoor studio not far from Alberta, Canadian photographer and author Darwin Wiggett sends this unedited video showing how easy it is to balance the dynamic range between the sky and the foreground of this outdoor scene simply by using a Singh-Ray 2-stop hard-step Graduated ND Filter.

"I shot the video using a Canon Rebel T2i and a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens. I shot the scene at 17mm. A Cokin P-Series filter holder was mounted on the lens to hold the ND Grad. I used an Azden ECZ-990 microphone mounted on the Rebel's hot shoe to pick up my sexy voice. The video was just shot off the cuff because the light and opportunity were perfect to show the benefits of using an ND Grad filter.

"As we can see by comparing the final 'with-filter' and 'without-filter' photos, using the Graduated ND Filter really improved the photo without having to do any post-production."

It seems safe to say, we'll soon be seeing more video demonstrations from Darwin in the near future. He shows real talent.

With Graduated ND Filter

Without Filter


Darwin is one of Canada's most published landscape, nature and travel photographers with 11 books published including Dances with Light - The Canadian Rockies and How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies. Darwin is also a contributor to photo magazines including Outdoor Photography Canada, Popular Photography, Outdoor Photographer and more. For more information on Darwin's adventures and workshops, visit his website and blog.

The "motion" in his emotional water images created by stretching exposures to the limit

Colorado photographer Cole Thompson is dedicated to creating his fine-art images and essays in dramatic black and white. A major feature of his work is the use of very long time exposures of 30 to 90 seconds and longer. "I believe that long exposures and water are a natural match. Portraying water as fluid seems so much more natural to me. My Singh-Ray Vari-ND lets me easily explore exposures of varying durations by simply adjusting the density from about 2 stops up to 8 stops, or anywhere in between.

Dark Waters
1-second exposure

"My strong attraction to long exposures came about because of water. I was intrigued by the way moving water looked at different exposures; a 1-second image looked so completely different than a 10- or 30-second exposure. My very first long exposure of water was this 1-second image entitled Dark Waters created on the Blue River in Kansas City.


Lone Man No. 35
30-second exposure

"This led to my photographing water in all kinds of waters and often using a very long exposure to create a smooth, milky white look to the water as in Lone Man No. 35 created in the Honduras.


Poudre River Spillway
30-second exposure

"Each exposure length can create a completely different look. So I’ll photograph the same scene over and over from 1 to 30 seconds to get the right feel. Here is a very simple image of water flowing over a spillway on the Poudre River in Colorado.


Rocks and Mist
30-second exposure

"Another factor affecting how the water will look is the speed at which it is moving and the direction it is moving in relation to the camera. In Rocks and Mist created in La Jolla, the waves were rushing in and out giving the water an appearance of fog.


Rushing Waters
30-second exposure

"Likewise in Rushing Waters the water is often mistaken by viewers as a cloud flowing over a mountain rather than the reality; rushing waters flowing over a large rock near Washington D.C.


Fluid Water No. 6
10-second exposure

"Many of my images are created at 30 seconds, but sometimes a faster exposure allows for more definition in the water -- such as in Fluid Water No. 6 which was a 10-second exposure created on the Poudre River.


Primordial Soup
30-second exposure

"The speed of the water and its direction of movement often affect the look of the 'fluid water' as in Primordial Soup created on the Oregon Coast. In the foreground there is a very slow-moving pool of water, while in the background the crashing waves of the beach are rendered soft and without definition.

"Getting long exposures during the day requires a great deal of neutral density. I use the Singh-Ray Vari-ND and then stack the Mor-Slo 5-stop ND filter on top of it, giving me about 13 stops of ND. This will allow me under most conditions to get a 30-second exposure in bright sunlight.

"I use the camera’s meter to determine exposure and am very careful to block stray light from entering the eyecup while metering. I usually start with a 1-second exposure and then work my way up: 5, 10, 50, 20, 25 and 30 seconds. You’ll be amazed at how different each shot can look."

Another tip from Cole: "Turn off the long-exposure noise reduction and use the mirror lockup for exposures in the 1 to 5-second range -- mirror lockup is not needed for longer exposures."

To see more of Cole's work and learn more about his creative techniques, you'll want to check out his previous stories on this blog and visit his own website and blog.