3 Easy Ways to Correct Color Casting From ND Filters

There are a lot of optically decent ND filters out there that still suffer from color cast (or shift), but there a few very quick and easy ways to fix them in post.  Here is a video I tutorial I made to show you how to do it.

My Favorite Photography Accessories

Gear can be expensive and overwhelming...and I often say that creativity and experiences are more important than gear.  This is totally true, but with that being said, there are a few little things-photography accessories-that I always take with me, and that help increase my efficacy, functionality, and creativity.

So let's get right to it:  (I made a VIDEO of this if you'd rather watch than read.  It's also embedded at the end of this post).

1). The Rocket Blower - Living in New Mexico, and travelling to and shooting in all kinds of intense places around the globe, I need this.  I mean, every photographer needs this...but I REALLY need it. Any kind of air blower will do.  There are a variety of types and brands out there, but they all do the same thing: blow dust and debris off your gear.

2). The Camera Strap - This is not just a regular strap.  The best things about this strap is that it's way more comfortable and padded, and it has clippy things that let you quickly and easily detach the strap for those times when you need to put it on a tripod or other support equipment, or for when you just don't want a strap.  The other reason I like this one is because it's plain.  I travel a LOT, and often to or through some very sketchy places where having a nice shiny Canon strap that has bright red and white stripes and the name of my camera body on it is begging for a robbery in some places.  So the subtlety and lower profile of the strap is nice.  

3). The PocketPod - I always seem to find use for a little tripod, whether it's because I'm travelling super light and don't want to carry a big one, or I need to mount some lights, audio gear, phone, monitor, or something else, or if I need a makeshift handle for a vlogging setup.  I use this Benro one a lot, but I also like the Joby Gorilla Pods too. You never know when you'll find an unexpected waterfall or awesome night scene or long exposure scenario where you wish you had a tripod! 

4). ND Filters for your Smartphone - These things are super cheap, and very handy to have.  Like I mentioned above, you never know when you might stumble upon a cool waterfall or perfect long exposure scene, and you might not have your big boy camera with you, but if you have these little filters and a pocket tripod and your phone, then you're all set! Mobile photography is getting better every year with all these new phones with better and better cameras coming out, so why not use them!  The best camera is the one you have on you.

5). Circular Polarizer - If you can only have one filter for your dslr or mirror-less camera, make it a circular polarizer!  These things are super handy, and unlike other types of filters, a CP's effects can't all be emulated in post editing.  A CP will help cut through glare from reflecting surfaces such as water and glass, and it will also help boost your saturation a bit (this part can obviously be done in post, but the glare reduction can't). If you can have 2 filters, then I definitely recommend a proper ND Filter. These will help you get that silky smooth water or clouds, as well as let you shoot wide open in bright light to get that beautiful shallow depth of field. I suggest at least getting a 3 stop, which is the one I listed, but if you want really long exposures, you'll need a 10 stop filter or higher.

6). Lume Cubes - These are probably the coolest little lights I've ever had.  I use them for so much more than photography.  They pack a whopping 1500 lumens, which given their size, is quite impressive.  They are waterproof, which opens up all kinds of creative doors, and have a bunch of their own available accessories, such as filters, diffusers, gels, magnetic cages, and more, and they're usb rechargeable! 

7). The Pulse Camera Controller - My most FAVORITE accessory of all time! This thing is beyond fantastic.  It is a Bluetooth controller, intervalometer, and trigger.  The app that controls it is great, and its features are wonderful.  With the Pulse, you can do timelapses, environmental selfies, HDR, long exposures, and more. This will open up the possibilities for unleashing your creativity to a whole new level!  It also makes things a lot easier when you want to do things like take a picture of yourself or a group photo with you in it, and not have to find someone else to do it for you. It's just a wonderful device to have all around.  That being said, any remote trigger and/or intervalometer will work, but they won't all do everything this does, and not all wrapped in one device. 

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