Video has rekindled some old techniques, both generally and with me specifically.

One that I feel is important, but not one I want to necessarily follow the current trends with, is diffusion or softening at capture using filters.

In the early days of film, a wide mesh black stocking was often stretched across a lens to create a sharp/soft, semi glow. This was called a “black net” filter and became the standard for film and stills portraiture for half a century.

Black was chosen for its slightly stronger and more precise nature, white generally avoided as being too “glowy” until the ‘60’s and 70’s when it became the filter “dreams” were made of.

With video, specifically digital video, one of the worst kept secrets is the use of filtering to de-sharpen, reduce contrast and create gentle (or not so gentle) blooming in highlights. Bad is good all of a sudden. The all too perfect didgital look is going so far the other way, it is touching on what we would have once called rubbish (technical term there).

Video is good, but has its weaknesses and dynamic range is one of them. Under exposure, exposing for the highlights and generally avoiding too wide a range of lighting are all modern realities, and filtering it seems is one of them.

My issue is the over use or use of over strength filters on trend at the moment. If you look at the portraiture of the masters over the last 50 odd years, you will see (if you look) a gentleness and slight glow to their work. A favourite is a portrait of Michelle Pfeiffer taken by Joe McNally in 1995 among many, but generally, going against the trend in almost any other style of photography, soft was worshipped. Good soft that is.

Having pretty much turned my back on the idea of buying an expensive Pro-Mist filter or similar, as nothing I have seen has been anything other than heavy handed, I have turned to DIY.

Trials 1 through - well, lots came up empty with mesh bags, half my wife’s stocking drawer and a few other, often goofy ideas tried. One of my favourites was a dense mesh bag from my Lowe Pro backpack, but it was soo thick you could “feel” the lines in the image.

Below are a set using a white fine mesh fruit and veg shopping bag. Far too obvious, but the best so far. Maybe something black and 2/3rds the gauge would be fine.

Next I went back to an old (old) friend, the 25mm antique Pen 25mm at f2.8. This lens is pleasantly sharp at all apertures, but suffers from very strong veiling flare wide open. Below; a comparison at f4 then 2.8 then 2.8 slightly de-hazed. A great tool and probably the only soft filter I have seen that is actually reversible (the veiling haze cleans up well), so this very easy and natural technique will be included in my tool kit.

My next idea was to make my own black net, not with hair spray or paint etc, but an actual black grid drawn on a filter! Note; draw on the back so it does not smear.

The ink did not take, but for experimental purposes, it will do (maybe two filters with the ink between?). This looks like a few older black net filters we used to sell back in the day and I can add more lines if needed. Cokin did a nice set of very mild to quite strong ones (and could stack) and I remember at the time, against all my usual habits, quite liking the generous and subtle effect of the milder ones. To me the look of medium format was soft/smooth but clear and relatively grainless. These filters added that to 35mm.

First look and subtle (good), but there, as is maybe a little extra CA.

It really is subtle (un-filtered on the left), but I am after a filter that does a little when conditions suit and is otherwise effectively invisible. Really just something that changes lens character to gentler, more film like, not forces a specific “Netflix” look on the footage. The Bokeh and slight drop in contrast (right) are signs maybe something is happening, but hardly scientific processes.

I may go looking for the old Cokin style filters or make something more permanent (maybe some reinforced dooor mesh?). Maybe even a pen that writes on anything.

The other option is to go lens hunting. There are lots out there old and new, even ancient Helios 58mm’s found in the basement, just the other day!