I LOVE lens filters.
My obsession started when I first tried a soft diffusion filter from Walking Way. It was like a revelation: I just couldn’t believe how much of a difference a relatively inexpensive piece of glass in front of my lens could make.
I absolutely loved the result, and I’ve used diffusion filters for almost everything ever since.
One of my self-portraits, taken with Walking Way Black Mist filter.
Small Investment, Big Effect
Here’s what I particularly love about filters in general:
Compared with buying a new lens or camera, they’re relatively inexpensive, yet they can completely transform the look of an image.
For creative portrait photography in particular, they’re one of my favourite ways to experiment.
I also tend to rely on filters whenever I feel stuck in a creative rut:
By simply adding a diffusion, prism or star filter, I can achieve new and unexpected effects, making familiar subjects new and exciting.
I actually can’t believe I’ve made it to almost 90 blog posts without ever dedicating one to lens filters!
So, here we go: let’s look at some of the best lens filters for portraits, what they actually do, and how you can use them to get more creative with your photography.
(Just so you know: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate/partner of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases).
1. Diffusion Filters – For Soft, Dreamy Portraits
What they do: Diffusion filters soften highlights, reduce contrast slightly and create a hazy, dreamlike glow around bright areas.
Soft Diffusion ≠ Blur
You may think you don’t need a soft focus filter – why not simply blur your image in editing?
Unfortunately, that doesn’t work, because it will make your photo less sharp and, well, blurry.
If you want to achieve that gorgeous soft diffusion effect, you will need to use a dedicated filter instead:
It won’t make your subject look out of focus, but it changes how light is rendered while retaining detail.
Diffusion filters work particularly well with:
- backlighting
- window light
- fairy lights and other small light sources
- strong highlights
- golden-hour portraits
- cinematic or dreamy concepts
Personally, I only use my beloved Walking Way Black Mist filter these days…it’s inexpensive but works amazingly well.
You can get yours here:
A great high-end alternative is the Tiffen Black Pro Mist:
Before I get to the next filter category…did you know you can download my free portrait photography ebook? More info below:
Free Ebook: 50 Portrait Photography Ideas
If you need fresh inspiration for your portrait photography, download my e-book which contains 50 creative ideas and projects for portrait photography.
…but now, back to the blog post!
2. Special-Effect Filters – For When You Want Something Weird
What they do: This category includes filters that distort, split, reflect, or otherwise manipulate the image before it reaches your camera sensor.
Surprisingly, there are lots of filters on the market that create such effects, eg:
- kaleidoscope filters
- split-image filters
- prism filters
- radial filters
- streak filters
- fractal filters
- filters with sections of distorted glass
Portrait with kaleidoscope effect. Image credit: lil artsy.
These types of filters are not designed to improve image quality, but to give your photo a unique look.
You can use them for creative portraits, for example to duplicate parts of the face, create reflections around your subject, stretch light across the frame or turn a relatively simple portrait into something more surreal.
I love these kinds of filters for when I’m feeling a bit uninspired because you can’t completely predict what they’re going to do (meaning, they can really get you out of a stale routine).
Here are two fun filters from this category you can try:
Kaleidoscope Filter:
Split Diopter Effect Filter:
3. Star Filters – For Turning Lights Into Stars
What they do: Star filters contain fine etched lines that diffract bright points of light, turning them into starbursts.
Depending on the filter, you might get four, six or eight points extending from each light source.
Have a look at this image where you can see the effect really well:
They’re definitely a sort of special effect, rather than something to use on every portrait – but that’s exactly why I like them for creative portraits.
Try star filters with fairy lights, streetlights, candles, reflections, Christmas lights or even sunlight falling onto something reflective.
I also love star filters for nighttime portraits, as they can give your image a lovely dreamy, slightly retro quality.
By the way: A bonus of using star filters is that you can produce pronounced stars using wider apertures (unlike creating starbursts by closing down your aperture).
Get your starburst filter here:
4. Prism and Split-Diopter Filters – For Surreal In-Camera Effects
What they do: Prism-style filters bend and redirect light, while split-diopter or partial-effect filters alter only part of the frame.
Depending on the design, they can create reflections, repeated subjects, blurred edges, light leaks or areas of distortion.
This portrait has a typical blur effect you could achieve with a split-diopter type filter:
Image credit: Dalton Smith.
Prism and split diopter filters are especially interesting for portrait photography because the face gives the viewer something recognisable while everything around it looks strange.
You could position the effect around the edge of the frame and keep the face relatively clear, deliberately distort part of the face, or rotate the filter while shooting until something unexpected happens.
You might really like these kinds of lens filters if you love taking more artistic or surreal portraits.
Here is a great split diopter filter you can try:
5. Neutral Density (ND) Filters – The Surprisingly Useful Portrait Filter
What they do: An ND filter simply reduces the amount of light entering your lens without substantially changing its colour.
That might not sound particularly creative, but it gives you much more control over your camera settings when there’s a lot of available light.
For portraits, there are two great benefits to using an ND filter:
You Can Use Wide Apertures in Bright Light
If you want to shoot a portrait on a very bright day, you usually can’t go as low as f/1.4 or f/1.8, for example.
An ND filter remedies this by cutting down the surrounding light so you can retain your wide aperture and shallow depth of field.
You Can Create Motion Blur in Daylight
Now onto a more creative benefit:
With an ND filter, you can use a slower shutter speed even when it’s bright outside…meaning you can introduce intentional movement blur into a portrait, such as flowing fabric, hair flipping, someone jumping, etc. like in this image:
Image credit: Tim Bagwell.
Tip: Variable ND filters are especially convenient because you can adjust how much light they block simply by rotating the filter.
Get your ND filter here:
6. Infrared Filters – For Otherworldly Portraits
What they do: Infrared filters block most visible light while allowing infrared wavelengths to reach the film or sensor.
This can produce quite dramatic effects comprated to regular photography:
Leaves or grass can look pale or even white, skies appear dark, and skin takes on a super weird luminous quality.
Another hallmark is the eyes in infrared portraits, which turn very dark. Have a look at this photo to see the effect:
One important caveat: infrared photography isn’t as simple as putting an infrared filter on any camera and shooting normally.
That’s because many digital cameras contain an internal infrared-blocking filter. One way to get around that is to use a specially converted camera.
Or, even easier, you can simply use a film camera and infrared-sensitive film, eg., by Rollei.
That’s the approach I’ve taken, and you can read about my experience in my previous post here.
If you enjoy surreal or dreamlike portrait photography, infrared is one of the most unusual ways to create an image that looks completely different to ordinary portraits.
Get your infrared filter here:
7. Colour Filters – For Creating a Specific Mood
What they do: Coloured lens filters alter which wavelengths of visible light reach your camera.
You can also achieve many colour effects with gels over your lights, of course, but putting something directly in front of the lens gives you another way to experiment – particularly if the filter is graduated, partially coloured or combined with another optical effect.
These may not be essential portrait filters, but they can be fun if you want to create a specific mood in your picture.
Get coloured lens filters here:
Do You Actually Need Lens Filters for Portrait Photography?
So, you absolutely don’t NEED filters for your portrait photography…but they are amazing creative tools to play with.
Photography can sometimes become very focused on expensive upgrades – the most modern camera body, the sharpest lens, etc.
However, filters are relatively inexpensive, but can really breathe new life into your photography.
Where to Start
If you’re mostly interested in traditional portraits, I’d probably start with a subtle diffusion filter.
If, like me, you like more experimental and creative portrait photography, try adding one special-effect filter (something that splits, distorts or reflects the image) and play around with it.
Finally, if you want to experiment with movement outdoors, an ND filter will be super useful so you can use a wider aperture.
I’d love to hear from you – which of these filters sounds the most fun or interesting to you? Have you already experimented with filters? Leave me a comment and let me know!
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