Camera lens filters for portraits: which ones to use?

Using lens filters in portrait photography is not a common practice, however, they give you the chance to obtain interesting effects in your photos. From controlling light to adding creative effects, lens filters can significantly improve your portraits. Learn more about the hidden potential of camera lens filters in portrait photography, what filters to use and which effects you can create.

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What lens filters you can use for portraits

There are several types of lens filters you can use based on the specific effect you want to achieve and the shooting conditions.

ND filter for outdoor portrait photography

Neutral density filters are used in portrait photography when shooting outdoors and with bright sunlight. These filters reduce the amount of light that enters the camera lens without changing the colours or the quality of the image.

ND filters allow you to balance the exposure or get a shallow depth of the field to get more artistic portraits.

The best ND lens filters you can use for portrait photography are ND2, ND4 and ND8 reducing the light of 1, 2 and 3 stops. The use of these filters allows you to shoot portraits outdoors without overexposure, in bright daylight conditions.

Read more about using ND filters for portrait photography.

Polarizing lens filters for portraits

Even though polarizing filters are used mainly for landscape photography, they can be also useful when shooting portraits. The use of polarizing filters in portrait photography offers the opportunity to obtain different effects:

• Reduce glare and reflections. Polarizing filters can reduce the reflections in the background in case of outdoor portrait photography. They also help reduce the glare of the skin.
• Improve skin tones. Using these lens filters in your portraits allows you to reduce harsh highlights and make wrinkles and pores less visible.
• Enhance colour saturation and contrast. These filters intensify the colours of your portrait and improve the contrast, especially in the case of colourful backgrounds.

Read our complete guide on using polarizing filters in portrait photography.

Mist lens filter for portrait photography

Mist filters are perfect for adding a soft, dreamy look to your portraits. They diffuse light evenly across the image, softening the overall appearance and reducing harsh contrasts. Using this type of camera lens filter for your portraits results in a cinematic and ethereal vibe which is ideal for creating a soft atmosphere in your portraits.

Additionally, using the mist lens filters for your portraits allows you to make any wrinkle or skin imperfection less noticeable, with less work in post-production.

Colour filters for black and white portraits

Colour filters can be used in black-and-white portrait photography to modify the colours and obtain different effects.

• Yellow and orange filters. These camera lens filters are used frequently in black-and-white portrait photography as they increase the contrast between different skin tones and create a natural-looking effect. They also darken skies and reduce the appearance of freckles or blemishes.
• Red filters. They are used for creating dramatic and artistic portraits. They significantly darken the sky and increase the contrast between the subject and the background. This filter is perfect for creative portraits and for subjects with very light or very dark skin tones.
• Green and blue filters. The use of these filters in portrait photography is less common and not advisable. These filters darken the red tones and accentuate any skin imperfection. They are used mainly for other type of photography, such as landscape or architecture.

For more information read our blog about colour filters in photography.

Explore the best lens filters for portrait photography from Kase

How to choose the best lens filter for portrait photography?

Camera lens filters are versatile and often underused in portrait photography. But they can help control light, enhance colours and add a creative flair to your images. Which filter you need depends on shooting conditions and your style of photography.

Here’s what you should consider before choosing which filter to use:

• Effect you want to obtain. Consider the effect you want to obtain in your portrait photography. Some effects are much easier to achieve with filters than in post-production.
• Shooting conditions. In case of outdoor photography or bright light consider using ND filters to avoid overexposure in your portraits.
• Filter quality. Filters with optical glass do not degrade image quality, as some resin filters can do.
• Filter dimensions. Check the lens diameter and choose the corresponding filter. If you plan to use more than one lens, pick the filter for the biggest diameter and use an adapter ring.

Overview of camera lens filters for portraits and their effects

To sum up, there are several lens filters that can be used for portrait photography. Choose the perfect one for you depending on the effect you want:

• Outdoor portraits: ND filter. You can reduce the light for balanced exposure and achieve shallow depth of field in bright conditions.
• Reduce glare and enhance colours: polarizing filter. Use it to minimise reflections and boost the colour saturation.
• Create a soft, dreamy look: mist filter. With this filter, you can soften the light for a cinematic, ethereal effect and reduce the skin imperfections.
• Enhance black and white contrast: colour filters. Use yellow and orange filters to adjust contrast or red filters for more artistic black-and-white portraits.

Not sure which filter is the best for your camera? Ask our specialists!