Blog_250427_FeatheryWater_MavenFilters
Feathery Water in the Middle of Harsh-Sun-Blue-Bird-Day Made Beautiful! Maven Neutral Density Filters Strike Again!
Blog Post. April 27, 2025
by Steve Glass
The idea that we should stop shooting in the middle of the day (for portrait or landscape work), well, I think it’s an Old Wive’s tale – I don’t buy it for an instant. We can work through “harsh-sun-blue-bird-day blues”. There are many ways to do this, but one of my new favorite creative tools to kick out the “harsh-sun-blue-bird-day blues” is using a Neutral Density (ND) Filter with a Linear Polarizer (LP) to create dynamic scenes! And specifically, Maven filters.
You heard me say it: “Shoot landscape in the middle of the day.” Now, before you start arguing, let me give some reasons why this shift in mindset is good and helpful in your photographic journey.
1. You are on a trip, and you’re never going to be back in this spot. The time is now . . . or never.
2. You’re on a deadline and you have no more evening or morning golden hours to work – again, the time is now.
3. Because it forces you out of your normal “Golden hour thinking”; it pushes you to try something creatively new.
4. My personal favorite, “Why not?”
If you read my last blog post about creating portraits using shallow depth-of-field, you’ll know I love using Maven Neutral Density filters to capture powerful mid-day strobe-lit portraits. Guess what? The portrait session is over, and I have a few minutes. Thus, let’s experiment with some landscape photography.
It is the middle of the day. The sun is high and hot. What can we do to create a more interesting photo?
First, I start with what I have. I decided to travel light that day, as it was about a picnic with my friend and two of my kids. Photography was not the purpose of the day. I only brought the Canon Nifty 50rf – super light-weight, portable and fun. I stop down to f/11 and take the shot. I have my camera locked down on my tripod. This shot has a deep depth of field that creates a focal plane that is tack sharp through the entire scene. The below image is fine – but frankly it bores me.
Settings: f/11, 1/160th, ISO 160
Picture 1: Freezing the Motion of Water
Let’s spice this up. Again, I have only one lens with me. I was here to enjoy a picnic with my friend, and I wanted to keep the day about “hanging out” verses a photoshoot. What can I do to make this more interesting? I know. With a quick snap – gotta love the magnets – I add a 10 stop Neutral Density Mavin filter. I leave the ISO and f-stop the same, but ddddrrrrrragggggg (and you have to say "drag," that way) the shutter to a beautiful 5.0 seconds. Yes! Five seconds in the middle of the day. I use a 2 second countdown timer so I don’t transfer any movement to the camera when I depress the shutter button. Click – the image appears on the LCD – now that’s cool!
Setting: Settings: f/11, 5.0 seconds, ISO 160
Picture 2: Feathery water, with Glare
I’m happy with picture number two and I love the look of the feathery water in the foreground. This is really cool! However, I think the glare (reflected light) is a bit distracting – I can make it better! What if . . . . the idea hits! Let’s throw on a Maven Linear Polarizer (LP). It’s as easy as “snap.” The magnetic filter effortlessly snaps onto the 10 stop Neutral Density Maven filter. I twist the Linear Polarizer (LP) filter until the glare disappears. Yeah, sure, I could leave a bit of highlights, but I don’t want to. I want to see to the bed of the stream – heck, maybe I’ll see a trout (non-spoiler alert: I don’t see a trout – even when I pixel peak after the fact). I take the picture. Wow! I love this one. From a rather drab first shot to the 3rd shot, I like what has transpired. A really beautiful mid-day shot! Please note how the Linear Polarizer (LP) filter made the sky more blue – that’s sweet! Please Note: depending on how much polarization is applied, sometimes it can cut out so much light that the exposure needs to be adjusted.
Setting: f/11, 5.0 seconds, ISO 160
Picture 3. Feathery Water, no reflection in water, bluer sky.
Do you think this is cool? I do! Do you want to learn more with hands-on experience? Join my newsletter to receive tips and tricks and to stay-tuned to my photography workshop schedule.
All three images side by side for any easy comparison:
Gear used in Creation of this image:
Maven 10 stop ND Filter, 82mm with a step-up ring for the nifty 50.
Maven Linear Polarizer, 82mm.
All part of the Maven Linear Polarizer Set
Canon R6, Mark 1
Canon rf “nifty fifty” f/1.8 (great lightweight travel lens)
Ball Head + Tripod: Real Right Stuff (RRS) 55-Ballhead + older-than-dirt Manfrotto Aluminum Tripod (still going strong)
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