When you want to darken a portion of the frame without altering color, you would use which filter type?

• A. Neutral Density Grads
• B. Ultraviolet Filter
• C. Infrared Filter
• D. Softening Filter

Answer: (A)

Balancing exposure across a frame without altering color is achieved with a graduated neutral density filter. The neutral density portion cuts light evenly, so colors remain true. The graduated part adds a transition from clear to dark, letting you darken the bright portion of the scene—typically the sky—while keeping the foreground properly exposed. You can choose a soft edge for a gradual transition or a hard edge when the boundary between sky and land is sharp. The other filters serve different purposes (block UV light, block infrared, or soften detail) and don’t provide the selective darkening of just part of the frame without affecting color.