What lens filter should I get for outdoor photography with my DSLR?

Hi Catherine! For outdoor shooting start with a lens hood and a clean front element. A hood protects the glass and cuts stray light that causes flare and often better than a protective filter. Keep the cap on when you are not shooting, and in dusty or salty places give the front element a quick blower and microfiber wipe. If you still want a sacrificial layer for rough conditions, a clear or UV filter is fine, but remember any extra glass can add flare and reduce contrast. Try a simple check at home by pointing near a bright lamp then compare shots with and without the filter to see if ghost spots or haze appear.

For reducing glare the workhorse is a circular polarizer. It cuts reflections on water and glass and deepens skies, though it costs about one to two stops of light. Use it only when you need the effect. Face a reflective subject such as a window or a lake, look through the viewfinder, and rotate the ring until glare drops and colors pop. Take a before and after to judge the tradeoff in shutter speed. Watch wide angles since polarization can make the sky uneven, so back off the effect if the sky looks blotchy. Do not stack filters to avoid vignetting, keep the hood on to fight flare, and if you see rainbow patterns on screens or car windows just remove the polarizer or change your shooting angle.

If your goal is glare control the single most useful option is a circular polarizer., Rotate it while looking through the finder and stop when reflections on water or glass fade and the sky looks richer. It will cut a chunk of light so expect slower shutter speeds or higher ISO and and it can make wide blue skies uneven so ease off the effect if you see a blotchy band.

For protection I keep a cap on and use a hood while shooting, then add a clear filter only when sand spray or blowing grit is on the menu. Extra glass can add flare in backlight, so do a quick test at home by shooting a lamp with and without it. Clean with a blower and soft cloth before you leave. Done.

Use a clear filter outdoors for basic protection and then a polarizer to cut reflections and deepen skies while watching the exposure hit. Test a quick with and without and add a hood in bright light to reduce flare.

I actually shoot a lot of mountains and coasts and found that most of the time a bare front element plus a hood gives cleaner contrast than keeping a protective filter on all day... When the wind kicks up sand or ocean spray I will throw on a clear one as a sacrificial layer and swap it off as soon as the conditions calm down. Fewer surfaces in front of the glass means fewer ghosts when the sun sneaks into the frame.

For glare I pack a polarizer and treat it like a tool rather than a default. If the scene has wet rocks and leaves after rain, water, or distant haze, it helps. If I need every bit of light or I want soft reflections on a lake at sunset, I leave it in the bag. Works great.

Outdoor photography can be tricky with all that variable light and so let's talk filters. If protection is your main worry and consider a UV filter as a sacrificial layer; it's better than nothing in sandy or rainy environments, but don't expect miracles – clean your gear regularly anyway. To handle glare, a circular polarizer is invaluable, it enhances contrast by reducing unwanted shine on foliage or puddles, and it makes clouds stand out against the sky. Be mindful of the light loss, maybe one or two stops, which could mean slower shutters in low light. Test it out on different angles; sometimes shifting your position helps avoid weird effects. Overall, prioritize what you shoot most – landscapes might need polarization more than, say, portraits.

Keep the front element clean and use your hand just outside the frame to tame flare on sunny walks. For glare control use a polarizer and rotate until reflections drop, but mind the light loss, avoid stacking on wide lenses to prevent dark corners, back off if the sky bands, and remove it for portraits to keep natural catchlights.

The trick with polarization outdoors is geometry. The strongest effect happens when the sun is off to your side and roughly a right angle from your lens but then... point at a window or water, turn the front ring, and you will literally see the glare melt away. On bright days that also deepens foliage and clouds, but you pay about one to two stops, so watch your shutter speed if you do not have stabilization.

Skies can get patchy with very wide views because the angle to the sun changes across the frame. If that happens, dial the effect back or reframe a bit. You may also see rainbow patterns on car windows and phone screens due to coatings. That is normal. Take the filter off for those scenes or change your angle and it goes away.

I've tried a few things for my outdoor shoots and and reducing glare is key for me. A polarizer does wonders for cutting through that harsh light on water or windows, deepening the blues in the sky too. But it can make wide shots uneven sometimes, so I only slap it on when needed. For protection, I skip filters mostly and rely on keeping everything clean – a quick wipe and cap it when not in use. If you're in rough terrain though, a UV one might save your lens from dings. I tried that and it fixed everything but then... yeah, had to clean it more often to avoid smudges showing up in photos.

Hey, as someone who's been shooting outdoors for years, I think focusing on protection first makes sense. A basic clear filter can act as a barrier against scratches and dirt, especially if you're hiking or in windy spots. But honestly, I've found that using a hood helps a ton with keeping light from washing out your shots. For glare, nothing beats a polarizer when you're dealing with shiny surfaces like leaves after rain or calm water. Rotate it slowly while looking through the lens, and you'll see the reflections fade away, making colors more vibrant. remember it darkens things a bit, so adjust your settings accordingly. Works great on sunny days. If the sky starts looking patchy, ease off or take it off entirely.