Image by Fishtail@Taipei

Chances are, if you take a camera with you when you hike, the majority of the shots you’re taking are landscapes. If you’re like me, you’re probably using a point-and-shoot, and probably get a little irritated when the sky or ground gets blown out in your final shot.

The folks at All Day I Dream About Photography have written up a handy primer on the beloved Neutral Density Filter, a handy lens that basically equalizes the light exposure on the different areas of the frame – which also allows you to shoot at a slower shutter speed.

As a preventative measure, the site also posted an entry about why you don’t need an ND filter, saying if you’ve got a tripod and some time to fire up the ol’ Photoshop, you can get basically the same results.

As for me, I don’t own one, as I’d probably have to hold it over my camera’s lens manually. Plus, when I’m on the trail, I’m usually “shooting from the hip,” so to speak … but I have wanted to check one out to see if it would make a big difference.

I’ve also heard that a pair of polarized sunglasses will do the trick in a pinch.

Tags: nd filter, neutral density filter, Photography, polarized sunglasses