Having trouble keeping track of your filters? Often, one looks just like the other, filter cases are rarely labeled, and it’s a pain to carry the original boxes around. Here’s a quick hack for keeping them all straight. Use a piece of camera tape to label your filters on the back of the hard plastic cases and around the sides. I like to include the name and size of the filter, and the filter factor.

Filter factor means how many stops of light the filter prevents from reaching the sensor. A polarizer has a filter factor of 2 stops, which means you will need to increase your aperture by two stops (or decrease your shutter speed). Most DSLRs meter through the lens, so you will not need to manually change your exposure in most cases, but you need to be aware of how much stop loss a filter will cause, as it might make you change your mind about using it in a low light situation.

With a simple (and free) piece of tape, you can easily grab the right filter out of your bag.