Lens Protection

Many professional photographers understand the importance of using a UV filter while shooting at the beach, but a hobbyist or inexperienced “professional in training” may overlook this necessity. A UV filter will not offer any artistic touches to your images, like the starlight, colored, and polarizing filters. With film, the UV filter helps to protect the film from the amount of UV light entering the camera, but this is not the case with digital. Digital cameras are far less sensitive to UV light, and using a UV filter will not make a difference in the quality of your images. The main advantage of the UV filter, with digital photography, is simply that it protects your lens.
           It is much easier to replace a $30 filter than a several hundred dollar lens. While shooting at the beach, the amount of sand and salt that is kicked about and in the air poses a tremendous threat to your camera and equipment. A UV filter will offer protection from scuffs and scratches on you lens that would permanently flaw the images you produce. Although Photoshop is well equipped with the ability to hide such flaws, the goal of the professional is to achieve perfection right out of the camera. Photoshop is a tool that is absolutely a necessity, but should be used to make artistic enhancements to your images, not mask a shortcoming in equipment.
           I am based out of Raleigh, NC and shooting weddings will have me at the beach often. Knowing the importance of a UV filter, I will have a few stocked in my camera bag!  To see my site for yourself you can visit Raleigh Wedding Photography or christipowellphotography.com