PHOTOGRAPHY -9

 PHOTOGRAPHY -9

FILTERS…. Continued

Haze can dramatize a picture, if appropriately presented. Cinematography can electrify the viewing pleasure by ‘playing up’ haze as a vibrant element in a picture. FILTERS can add haze as a peripheral element, or  in an unobtrusive corner of  the frame , taking care to shift the haze gently off the frame , suggesting ‘a clearing off’ of uncertainty or suspicion in a symbolic potrayal of mood.

Literally Haze filter is a piece of glass whose peripheral surface is gound to make it murky; the extent of ‘murky area’ can be varied to enhance the ‘romantic element’ in a scene. It was A Vincent  -a noted cinematographer of late 1960s who revolutionized the trick of using Haze. In place of several haze filters , he just had a single plain glass filter; at will, he used to smear vaeline by the tip of his little finger generating the required area of haze;after use, he would wipe off the vaeline clean using a soft tissue and be ready for any later ‘haze play’ using the same plain glass; he used to say it was simpler to use this method instead of carrying a  large number of filters.

His knowledge of gadgets was complete and could create his own devices to present novel shots. Another giant of a Cinematographer of that era was Mr. Marcus Bartley- an innovator-par excellence, In that all too popular song sequence ‘Aaha inba nilaavinile’ of the movie ‘MAYA BAZAAR’ THE NIGHT BOAT SCENE was a day time shot   made to simulate night feel by brilliant lighting and filter play.

Two common essential filter components in SLR PHOTOGRAPHY have always been SKY LIGHT Filter [1A version] and the integral piece on Camera –the UV Filter. The two filters mentioned are unsung warriors in Still photography in the era of film photography. They have been the most unobtrusive filters with no filter factor. But, they used to silently refine the shots made in hill stations –especially in the mornings around 8.00 am or so. Even in movies one could have noticed a sudden boom in bluish haze [due to UV rays from SUN in early hoursof the day].  Such UV INTERVENTIONS WERE  real nuisance in film photography because there was no scope of post-production corrections [unlike in Digital technology known for its post-production falsifications!]

In traditional B/W photos, the amateurs used to get frustrated saying, I had shot excellent clouds over some statue or tower and nothing has come in the picture. This was because, the man had no  experience of ‘elusive clouds’ which do not register on films unless a contrast filter [yellow] was in place to separate sky from cloud/ vice-versa.

A yelow filter would simply enhance cloud masses in a B/W film that would draw accolades of brilliant photography, though the man does precious little to exert self in picture-taking .

Prof. K. Raman