Filters for black and white

Last week I was in Egypt, on my annual trip with friends from the British Soc of UW Photographers.

It was a hugely productive trip. I set off with a long list of new techniques I wanted to try and not only did I get through them all, but all of them worked incredibly well. Probably most pleasing was my new filter combination for colour photography, which was, in a word, awesome.

Anyway, it is going to take me a while to sort out all my images. But as a teaser of what's to come here are a couple of black and white filter trials.

I was using two different filters for black and white shooting. A cool filter designed to lighten water relative to the wreck and make diver silhouettes stand out (top image) and a warm filter designed to darken water relative to the wreck to make the wreck (and diver bubbles) loom out of the dark (lower image). Only processing here is greyscale then auto contrast.

It is possible to create similar effects in Photoshop, by masking or dodging and burning. But I find that when I pull tones too much in photoshop it tends to introduce alot of noise. Filtering produces much cleaner images and saves on hours on the computer!

So here are a couple of bow shots taken on Monday and Tuesday. Giannis D (top) and Carnatic (bottom) from Abu Nuhas, Egypt.

Alex

Very cool Alex. Love the details on the diver on the top shot. He stands out so much that I don't think you can call it a silhouette.

Looking forward to the results of your other tests.

And here are a couple more.

The first is the bridge of the Giannis D, and the second is a shot from inside of the bow of the Carnatic.

Alex

cool filter

warm filter (although effect not clear in such a contrasty composition)

Two words - holy ****!

Is it a split graduated type filter that you used to lighten the water relative to the wreck, or an overall filter?

Cheers

James

Nicely done Alex, great subjects and it really is quite a difference.

Want to send me those filters so i can continue your tests on a manta or two??? They are good subjects for it...

Mike

Alex, you've achieved such a different look, it's hard to say what I think of it. First impressions:

The top pic looks almost un-real. The water is so clean and clear, that diver almost looks 3-D

The general appearance of all of them seems, like you've put them under glass and taken another picture. Not downgrading, any photo looks better under glass, that's what is so great about these, stumbling just trying to get my thoughts out. The contrasts are handled so well, it's really a nice effect. I'm really looking forward to hearing about this.

Rand

Thanks for the feedback. Its great to have a group like this to bounce ideas off and get your opinions.

The two filters I was using were a couple of Wratten gels I happened to be given (for free).

The dark water filter is a "22" which is a strong orange. When this filter is on the lens it is quite hard to see through at depth!

The blue filter is an "80B".

The main <i>problem</i> with this technique is that it once you have the filter fitted you are stuck using it for the whole dive. But other than that its pretty straight forward. Meter for the wreck and the rest takes care of itself.

Alex

For comparison, here is a shot of the bridge of the Giannis D taken with my new Magic underwater colour filter. Not a great shot - but impressive colour over a large area!

Alex

Magic filter? Do tell us more...

Great colours, i like

I really need to buy the 10.5

I'm sure I've seen these shots somewhere...

Having had a chance to play with the "Mustard Magic" filters with Alex last week, I have to say I am totally converted. It's even muppet-proof !

Your production line is going to get busy Alex !

JP

Hey JP,

Nice Batty-boys - how deep were they?

I am very excited about the potential of the Magic filter. I say potential because, while everyone else was getting great shots with it, mine weren't so good... yet.

Alex

I think they were around 10m, at the corner of Shark Reef, just before I bumped into you and that amazing turtle !

Unfortunately, I had to shoot up a bit to get them and ended-up burning the forehead of the second-one at the top. I might need to clean this a bit.

Wouldn't it be nice if the camera/housing recorded the depth on the EXIF information ?

Wouldn't it be nice if the camera/housing recorded the depth on the EXIF information ? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My D2x will record data from a GPS sensor in the EXIF. I wonder if I could pumb in a depth guage?

Alex

Just check the time/date on your dive computer log with that of the EXIF information on your photo. You can even check what the water temperature was for those mating lionfish. Don't you just love technology?!?!