я жутко невнимательный человек. с помощью vml как раз-таки можно создавать подобные фильтры.
VML embosscolor - Color used to display the picture when doing an embossed shadow.
VML gain - Picture contrast setting.
VML blacklevel - Picture brightness setting.
VML gamma - Picture gamma setting.
VML grayscale - Display picture in grayscale.
(
w3.org)
<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml">
<v:shape class="invert"
coordorigin="0 0" coordsize="200 200"
style="top:1;left:1;width:300;height:200"
path="m 1,1 l 1,200, 200,200, 200,1 x e">
<v:imagedata blacklevel="2.0" gain="0.4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vScVCDhZ52k/Srd_TlwNwKI/AAAAAAAAGAM/zqd4fKXfy2Y/s800/22093-fullsize.jpg"/>
</v:shape>