Cool stuff

Creative filters as well as attachments number in the hundreds. Photo purists may deplore their use, arguing that anything "doctoring" the image is just covering up the actual mundane. They go onto assert that gadgets and tricks work against good image-making by emphasizing the result as subject matter itself. All of this might be true along with overused and haphazard trick photography, generating as these people do more problems than they solve. Even so, an almost limitless choice of effects available these days affords consideration and provide prudent photographers abundant opportunities to use special effects like a tool to give visual emphasis or twist to an otherwise straight picture. Several suppliers associated with conventional glass screw-in filters offer a number of special-effects items. Among the most widely used are various kinds of soft focus, fog, diffusion, center color place, graduated color, dual image, and many prism-generated modifications, including starbursts, radial color, multiple image, and speed results. B+W, Hoya, Tiffen, Heliopan, and others sell a great assortment of these attachments and filter systems. Cokin, Ambico, and other makers of plastic as well as resin filters took the front-of-the-lens concept and expanded it to a point where the selection almost defies explanation. These filters as well as attachment systems contain modular holders, connectors, and lens-attachment units together with literally hundreds associated with high impact picture altering devices, usually made through CR-39 plastic resin compounds. This is the very same material used to form lightweight prescription eyeglass lenses and high-quality sunglasses. Ambico brand filters are constructed with another material, an acrylic covered on both sides with a virtually indestructible resin. All systems contain conventional filters employed for black-and-white contrast adjustments, polarizing units, many variations associated with soft focus, neutral density, diffusion, fog, and so upon. Added to these are an array of image-distorting devices or even filters too numerous to mention. Beyond filters or even image distorters, the systems may accommodate masks which serve several functions, including double exposure, preshaped vignettes, or even slim color gels in jazzy hues for example mauve, tobacco, violet, pink, aqua, or rose. Many of these colors are not available in every other format. To begin to appreciate the possibilities filter systems afford, stop by the local camera shop and browse through catalogs or illustrated booklets from the system-makers' product lines. Note that most new filter systems include lens-cleaning liquids or special cells. They also contain lens caps, gelatin filter holders, storage boxes accommodating several filters at the same time, compartment cases, modular lens shades, and compendium lens hoods. And they still expand!