You can pay a lot of money for camera filters these days, with the biggest problem being what filters do you really need?

In the professional world you can purchase low contrast filters, soft contrast filters, ultra contrast filters, fog filters, double fog filters, enhancing filters, diffusion filters, net filters, star filters, sephia filters, coral filters, polarizing filters, neutral density filters to name a few.

To make things even more complicated, many of these filters come in grades ranging from one eighth to a number five. Each increasing grade has a little more density in the filter.

In the professional world we often try to make video look like film by using filters. (I might point out here that it is rare that we try to make film look like video) The idea behind this is to take out the overly sharp look of video and soften the look. Often a double fog or black promist filters are used for this effect.

Rather than going out and spending a lot of money on filters you can actually create your own filters that will do a similar job. Of course if you want to spend the money you will find that filters can run you well over $100 each. The 3 X3 filters that fit onto the mat box
(the hooded black unit on the end of lens) for my Betacam camera can run anywhere from $130 to $200 each.

Try putting a nylon stocking over your lens. Secure it with an elastic band and pull the stocking so that t is smooth across the front of the lens. You can use a white stocking or even a brown or black stocking. Make sure you check the look on your monitor or TV
set to really see the difference in the look. This stocking idea was created in the early days of filmmaking and is still used today by some directors of photography.

You could even try using a splatter screen from you frying pan or anything that will let most of the light through but still soften the image.

Try shooting a candle in a dark room with the stocking on the front and notice what happens to the glow of the candle?? Kinda cool looking isn’t it.

Give this idea a whirl and let me know what you think.