Sky and cloud contrast.

[jadedmonkeys]

How do I get contrast between the clouds and sky on black and white

photos like in those Ansel Adams photos. Do I use a filter? I have

a circular polarizer.

[alex_lofquist]

You didn't mention as to whether you are talking about Color or B&W film. For pancromatic film (the most common B&W film today), a deep red filter will bring out the clouds most dramaticly: the red filter absorbs the blue of the sky. Alternatively, a polarizing filter will selectively absorb the skylight most strongly at 90 degrees from the sun, and will work with color emulsions. For dramatic effect, use infrared film with the appropriate red filter on the lens.

 

Alex

[alex_lofquist]

Sorry, I see that you do refer to B&W.

 

Alex

[stephen hazelton]

Use a yellow, orange, or red filter- the redder the color, the more the contrast. You can use a polarizer also. You can use the polarizer with the colored filter, assuming it doesn't vignette on a wide angle. In many cases, Adams would also have burned in the sky in printing for a darker overall color.

 

The yellow filter is supposed to make the clouds visible, with "natural" look otherwise. The red will make green vegetation go dark also, which may be undesirable.

[jim schwaiger]

A color filter or polarizer can work on partly cloudy days. They are

different though and the effect of the polarizer will change based on

the position of the sun. Both also reduce light by about 2 stops, so

combining the 2 filters will reduce the light a lot (I avoid this).

The polarizer will also affect other parts of the image by reducing

reflections from foliage, etc.

 

Red, yellow and orange all darken the blue/cyan color of the sky while

having little effect on other colors.

 

And fwiw, Adams used the darkroom to produce most of the dramatic

effects in his

[colmmccarthy]

I use a red filter when taking and burn, burn, burn when printing.

[eric_stevens]

You have to understand that Ansel Adams almost *always* burned in the sky when he printed his photographs. Sometimes to a drastic degree. The use of the Orange, Green, or Red filter will also block the blue skylight and render it a darker shade. Film is very oversensitive to blue and ultraviolet and frequently gets blown out in the sky as a result. These filters help compensate for that. But even then, you still have to burn in the clouds.