A Bell Tower separates the Herb Garden from the formal Gardens at Temple University Ambler Arboretum.

This sculpture is the heart and focus of this section of the formal gardens at Temple University Ambler Arboretum.  This is the shade garden, and it’s a peaceful place for students to study (though only the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture students even know it exists).  When I went to school here, these trees were just planted.  While they may not seem very large, they’ve grown at least two more inches in caliper (diameter of the trunk) and added at least ten feet to their height.

Dinosaur Park: Wethersfield, CT - A bridge above a swamp makes for a great photo opportunity. Ahead is my wife (carrying my camera bag - don’t remember why). Our friends are actually not far ahead - but you can’t see them through the thicket that is soon to hide my wife as well.

Fun times had by all, and no one seemed to mind that I had the camera in my hand most of the time (or so I believe, anyhow).

With the ease at which we can post-process an image these days, the concept of using a lens filter is often overlooked. Filters do a lot to improve the quality of your photos, head and shoulders above any post-processing that you can apply. The reason is simple: You are controlling the data that actually gets to the film or sensor. Filters serve one primary function: Controlling light.

If you are a landscape photographer, you should have a fairly nice collection of filters in your bag. You’re dealing with an uncontrollable light source (the sun or moon), the best way to control light in your shots is to use a filter. Here are a few filters that no landscape photographer should be without.

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