Filters for BW landscape?

[jukka1]

<p>Hi!<br />I have always used orange or yellow orange, but lately I have had a feeling that it darkens too much green.<br>

What filters do you use for bw landscape and why?<br>

Does light yellow have enough effect for clouds or does it have to be medium or dark yellow?<br>

Sincerely, Jukka</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Depends, you can add a pol filter to darken the sky as well, in conjunction with a light yellow or darker. Also different filter makers may have different curves for the same name, so going by a name only doesn't help much. Filters with Wratten numbers should be close to the published cures for the specs.</p>

<p>Usually I'll use more than one and see which neg I like the best.</p>

<p> </p>

[luis_g]

<p>Back when I was using B&W film, I used a #58, dark green, or XO, light yellow-green more than any of the others. I also tended to use more orange than red, which I find to be too much for me most of the time, but I always took it, too.</p>

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[q.g._de_bakker]

Yellow-green (Wratten 11) would be my choice for keeping green from going too dark.

[jukka1]

<p>I use wratten nro 21 most of the time.<br>

I use gel filters on my Hasselblad and it's pro shade.<br />Sincerely, JUkka</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Yellow (K2) was once one of the commonest (not communist) B&W filters. You can but try different yellows to see how YOU like the effect. I don't find that one objectionable.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>The XO yellow-green filter is supposed to give the most correct tonal rendering, but I find it to give too weak an effect for my liking. A polariser used on B&W can give very strange effects; it takes the reflections off foliage, which can effectively lower the contrast of a landscape. In short I don't think that there's a "one size fits all" filter, and some judgement is needed whether to go for a Y1, Y2, XO, Orange, R25 or Polariser - or no filter at all.</p>

<p>Another thing to try is a grey or sunset grad. That'll darken the sky without touching the tone of the foliage if correctly positioned, but skies nearly always need some burning-in during printing anyway.</p>

[sfcole]

<p>Depends on the film. My experience with modern emulsions such as Acros or Tmax is that they darken skies in a similar manner as older films using an orange filter. I seldom use filters of any kind.</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>The only filters I use are the Hoya yellow K2 (Wratten #8 ?) and the yellow-green (X1).</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

Are you sure "X1" is not "XI", i.e. a roman numeral for "11", Chris?

[colin_elliott]

<p>I have always used an "Actina" yellow-green filter for my monochrome landscapes. Very occasionally, an orange filter instead.</p>

[buffy_h_f.]

<p>I tend to use red or orange much more than yellow or green. Thankfully, the slower pace of landscape usually offers the chance to take multiple shots with different filters.</p>