Quick Tip 10 - The Importance of ND Filters

It’s probably the question I get asked the most: “What’s that dark glass you carry around on your lens?” After I explain that it limits the amount of light hitting the sensor, the follow-up always comes: “But why? The more light the better, isn’t that true” (And yes, even renowned photographers have asked this..)

I used to struggle with giving a good answer, so let me break down the what and why of ND filters, without getting too technical:

An ND filter is like sunglasses for your camera. It darkens the scene without changing the colors, letting you control how much light hits the sensor. This makes it possible to keep your shutter speed and aperture exactly where you want them, even in bright conditions.

Now that we know the what, let’s go to the more important why:

When we film, our goal is usually simple: make the footage feel natural, the way the human eye actually sees motion. Our eyes are incredibly good at interpreting movement, and they do it subconsciously. That’s why footage can sometimes feel “off,” even if you can’t quite put your finger on why. More often than not, it comes down to one key factor: the camera isn’t set up to mimic how our eyes perceive motion.

And that’s where an ND filter becomes essential.

To capture motion naturally, like our eyes see it, you generally need a shutter angle around 180 degrees, or, depending on your camera, a shutter speed roughly double your frame rate.

But here’s the problem: if you’re shooting in bright daylight, sticking to these settings will overexpose your image. ND filters solve this problem by reducing the amount of light hitting the sensor, letting you maintain the correct shutter speed/angle without sacrificing exposure.

ND filters have another powerful use: they let you shoot with wider apertures outdoors. This means you can keep that shallow depth of field and cinematic look without blowing out your highlights.

In short, ND filters give you creative control over three pillars of filmmaking: motion, depth, and exposure, the very elements that make footage feel cinematic rather than accidental.

Of course, rules are made to be broken. If you want to experiment with motion blur or long-exposure effects, go ahead and check this article, ND filters just give you the flexibility to control the look intentionally.

Important disclaimer: Below is my current gear list, which includes the ND filter brand I’m using right now. That doesn’t mean it’s the best, I’m still testing other options. It’s a very solid brand, but there are plenty of great ones out there. A full post comparing different ND filters is coming soon!

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Thanks so much for being here, I genuinely appreciate every single reader.
If you ever have questions or ideas for future issues, feel free to shoot me a DM on Instagram!

Until next time,

Stefan

Minimal tools. Maximum creativity.

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