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Note the lighting and detail in this stunning picture Bryan Hansel took using a Singh-Ray Bryan Hansel All-in-One filter. Photo courtesy of Bryan Hansel
When noted local nature photographer Bryan Hansel can’t take the picture he sees because of limitations to his camera gear, he fixes those limitations. It doesn’t happen overnight, but he’s steadfast in his desire to improve his camera’s technical capabilities, and those improvements are well noted by the company that has developed and sells two of his innovations.
After several years of prototyping, Singh-Ray Filters just released the Bryan Hansel All-in-One filter. It’s the second filter Hansel designed. Three years ago, Singh-Ray announced the creation of the Bryan Hansel Waterfall Polarizer.
Bryan agreed to answer some questions for the News-Herald about his new filter and the effort it takes to come up with something new.
Q- What prompted you to create the All-in-One filter?
A- On a trip to the Badlands, I found that I was running into dynamic range limitations from my camera and all the currently available filters on the market weren’t able to handle it in an acceptable way. I was combining multiple filters, but no combination offered the look I wanted. I dreamed up the look I wanted and that ended up with the All-in-One.
Bryan Hansel
Q- You say it took several years of prototyping to get it right. Did Singh-Ray create the prototypes for you? And how many did you go through before coming up with just the right filter?
A- Singh-Ray and I worked together on the prototypes. I told them what I wanted, worked with them on diagrams and then they sent my prototypes. I lost count on the number of prototypes, but it was near a dozen over multiple years.
Q- How does this filter work? Your last filter combined a 3-stop ND filter and a polarizer with some “secret sauce”; how was this one put together?
A- The filter’s main function is to darken the sky and even out the exposure differences between a bright sky and dark ground. That gives a brighter foreground than the camera alone can give and allows the photographer to emphasize the foreground and make it stand out, which is important in my work. There are other filters that do this, but none disguise the transition between no filter and filter as well as the All-in-One. Basically, there’s a dark center of the filter that goes right on the horizon to darken the sunrise or sunset, but in many situations, that center alone would be so dark that it would look unnatural. To correct that unnatural look, there’s a gradual transition zone from no darkness to the center. That transition makes the effect look natural, like the scene would look to your eyes when standing there.
Q- I get the feeling this isn’t the last filter/ photography gear you will create. Do your creations come out of a strong desire to shoot the best picture possible in whatever conditions nature throws at you? Or do you get an “Aha” moment and a new idea springs into your mind?
A- There are many challenges in outdoor photography and if I’m in a situation that I’m not able to address those with currently available equipment, then I dream up something new. The two filters I’ve developed came about because of the challenges.
Q- How did you establish a working relationship with Singh-Ray? Are you considered an independent contractor? Or what is your standing with the company? It must be pretty good because they named a second filter after you. Unless, of course, they named the filters after you and then paid you in chocolate chip cookies.
A- Several years ago, Singh-Ray approached me about becoming a Singh- Ray photographer. I was using their filters already, and it seemed like a good fit for me. I love that the filters are made right in the USA! Since then, they started a new program called Ambassadors. Their best shooters get into the program, and I was one of the first ambassadors for Singh-Ray. They pay me based on sales, so every time someone uses my discount code, which is “thathansel,” I get a percentage of the sale and the customer gets 10 percent off. It’s a nice check each year.
As an ambassador, they provide me filters. So if I break one, I know that I’ll get a replacement overnighted to me. Basically, I help promote their products and they take care of me.
Q- What’s been going on with your photography business? The pandemic must wreak havoc on travel and teaching. Do you teach online? Have you been able to get out into nature and shoot pictures and build your portfolio?
A- My photography business is essentially the business of teaching outdoor photography, so the pandemic has been brutal on my business. As an example, I ended up having to cancel my national park workshops in 2020. That was over 50 percent of my income. Luckily, most students took credits, but those credits are now getting applied to workshops, so it has limited my income this year as well.
I was able to quickly shift part of my business model to online teaching, but that didn’t make up for what I lost. As restrictions were lifted in Minnesota, I was able to modify my workshops and host them in the Grand Marais area. The classroom instruction is now via Zoom. After the classroom sessions, we meet in the field for masked and socially distanced field sessions using COVID-19 precautions.
The magazine that I wrote a column with for over ten years folded, so I lost that income.
On the good side, my fans increased purchases of prints to help support me through the pandemic, and Facebook allowed me into their fan subscription program. On Facebook, fans can pay $5 per month to gain exclusive access to me and additional content. That more than made up for the loss of magazine income.
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