Filters have become an integral part of the photography and photo editing process, allowing you to transform the look and feel of your images with just a few taps. Whether you’re aiming for a vintage vibe, a vibrant pop of color, or a dreamy, soft focus effect, the right filter can elevate your photo from ordinary to extraordinary. But with so many options available, how do you choose the best filters to enhance your photos?

In this article, we’ll explore the best 7 filters to use on your photos. Each filter offers a unique aesthetic that can help you convey the mood, tone, and style you want. Whether you’re editing on your smartphone, using online tools, or working with professional software, these filters will help you create stunning visuals.

1. VSCO’s A6: The Classic Minimalist

When it comes to classic, understated editing, VSCO’s A6 filter is a top choice. This filter is beloved by photographers and Instagram influencers alike for its ability to create clean, minimalistic images with a hint of warmth.

Why It Works:

• Neutral Tones: A6 is known for its neutral color tones, which enhance natural hues without overpowering them. This makes it ideal for lifestyle photography, fashion shots, and portraits.
• Subtle Contrast: The filter boosts contrast in a gentle way, adding depth and dimension to your photos without making them look overly edited.
• Versatility: A6 works well with a wide range of images, from bright, airy scenes to darker, moodier settings.

How to Use It:

• Adjust Intensity: After applying the A6 filter, adjust its intensity to suit your image. Often, lowering the filter strength slightly can create a more natural effect.
• Pair with Warmth: Consider increasing the warmth slightly to enhance the cozy, inviting feel that A6 provides.

2. Instagram’s Clarendon: The Vibrant Pop

Clarendon is one of Instagram’s most popular filters, and for good reason. This filter adds a vibrant pop to your photos, making colors appear more vivid while enhancing contrast.

Why It Works:

• Boosts Saturation: Clarendon is perfect for making colors stand out, especially in outdoor and landscape photos. It gives blues a deeper, more striking hue, making skies and water look especially beautiful.
• Enhanced Contrast: The filter increases contrast, which helps to define the details in your image, making it appear sharper and more dynamic.
• Brightens Highlights: Clarendon brightens the highlights in your photo, giving it a fresh and clean look.

How to Use It:

• Outdoor Scenes: Use Clarendon for photos taken in natural light, especially those with a lot of blue tones like skies, oceans, or rivers.
• Adjust as Needed: As Clarendon can sometimes be too intense, try lowering the filter strength or adjusting the brightness and contrast manually to achieve the perfect balance.

3. Lightroom’s Vintage: The Nostalgic Touch

For those who love a retro vibe, Lightroom’s Vintage filter is an excellent choice. This filter adds a nostalgic feel to your photos, reminiscent of old film cameras.

Why It Works:

• Muted Colors: Vintage filters typically desaturate colors slightly, giving your photo a softer, more timeless look.
• Warm Tones: The filter often adds warm tones, especially in the highlights and midtones, enhancing the nostalgic feel.
• Subtle Grain: Some vintage filters also introduce a slight grain effect, adding texture and an authentic film-like quality to your images.

How to Use It:

• Portraits and Landscapes: Vintage filters work particularly well with portraits and landscapes, where you want to evoke a sense of history or emotion.
• Combine with Vignette: To further enhance the retro effect, consider adding a vignette to your photo, which can draw attention to the center of the image.

4. Snapseed’s Drama: The Bold Statement

If you’re looking to make a bold statement with your photos, Snapseed’s Drama filter is the way to go. This filter is perfect for adding intensity and depth to your images, making them look striking and powerful.

Why It Works:

• High Contrast: Drama increases the contrast in your photo, making the dark areas darker and the light areas lighter. This creates a strong visual impact.
• Vivid Details: The filter enhances the texture and detail in your photo, making elements like clouds, leaves, or fabric textures stand out.
• Moody Aesthetic: Drama adds a moody, almost cinematic quality to your photos, perfect for storytelling or creating a particular atmosphere.

How to Use It:

• Landscapes and Architecture: Use the Drama filter on landscape or architectural photos where you want to emphasize structure and form.
• Balance with Brightness: To prevent your photo from becoming too dark, adjust the brightness after applying the filter.

5. Adobe Photoshop’s Black & White: The Timeless Classic

Black & White filters are timeless, stripping away color to focus on light, shadow, and texture. Adobe Photoshop offers excellent tools for creating stunning black and white photos.

Why It Works:

• Focus on Composition: Without color, the composition becomes more critical. Black and white filters emphasize shapes, lines, and forms.
• Emotional Impact: Black and white images often carry a stronger emotional weight, making them ideal for portraits, street photography, and fine art.
• High Contrast: Photoshop allows you to adjust the contrast in black and white images, creating deep blacks and crisp whites that add drama and intensity.

How to Use It:

• Experiment with Tones: Use Photoshop’s Black & White adjustment layer to experiment with different color channels, adjusting their influence on the final image.
• Add Grain: To create a more film-like effect, add a slight grain to your black and white images, giving them texture and a classic feel.

6. Prisma’s Art Filters: The Creative Twist

Prisma is known for its unique, artistic filters that transform your photos into works of art. These filters are perfect for when you want to create something truly unique and visually striking.

Why It Works:

• Artistic Styles: Prisma offers a variety of filters inspired by famous artists and art movements, such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Picasso’s Cubism.
• Bold and Creative: These filters don’t just adjust colors or contrast; they completely alter the visual style of your photo, making it look like a painting or sketch.
• High Customization: You can adjust the intensity of the filters to strike the perfect balance between the original photo and the artistic effect.

How to Use It:

• Portraits and Abstracts: Prisma filters work well with portraits and abstract images, where the focus is more on style and creativity than realism.
• Experiment with Styles: Try different filters on the same photo to see which artistic style best enhances the mood or message you want to convey.

7. Instagram’s Lark: The Soft and Airy

For a light, soft, and airy look, Instagram’s Lark filter is a great option. This filter subtly brightens and desaturates your photo, creating a gentle, dreamy effect.

Why It Works:

• Bright and Light: Lark increases the brightness of your photo, making it look more open and inviting, which is perfect for outdoor scenes.
• Soft Colors: The filter reduces saturation slightly, giving your photos a more pastel, ethereal quality.
• Balanced Contrast: While Lark softens the colors, it also maintains enough contrast to keep the image sharp and clear.

How to Use It:

• Nature and Lifestyle: Use Lark for photos of nature, lifestyle, or any scene where you want to capture a light, fresh feeling.
• Adjust with Care: Lark is subtle, but if you find the effect too strong, reduce the filter intensity or adjust the exposure to maintain the airy quality.

Conclusion

Filters are a powerful tool in photography, offering endless possibilities to enhance your images and express your creative vision. The best 7 filters to use on your photos—VSCO’s A6, Instagram’s Clarendon, Lightroom’s Vintage, Snapseed’s Drama, Adobe Photoshop’s Black & White, Prisma’s Art Filters, and Instagram’s Lark—each bring something unique to the table.

Whether you’re looking to make your colors pop, add a nostalgic touch, or create a piece of digital art, these filters can help you achieve the perfect look. Experiment with different filters, adjust their intensity, and don’t be afraid to layer or combine them to create your own signature style. Happy editing!