A polariser is a wonderful bit of kit, but I see so few photographers using them these days. Yesterday I pottered around Wakehurst Place and my circular polariser was fitted all through the day.
The primary problem with a polarising filter is the large amount of light that it eats up. It can only be used with good sunlight; either that or a tripod and a slow moving subject. These duck shots are a case in point. As I turn the polariser you can see what it does to the water. Unfortunately, being in the shade the duck was blurred but because I've got more duck shots than a hunter, I couldn't be bothered to get the tripod out.
You're not only looking at the water, however. You'll notice that the colour of the duck and the floating leaves change also.
Water isn't the only thing that a polariser is good for. It can really change the tonality of the foliage, as you can see in these two shots. The exif is intact in these jpegs, they were taken 8 seconds apart from each other (me, turning the polariser between shots)
Another area where I don't see many people use it, is actually for statues and buildings. A polariser can really affect the shadows and cut out unwanted light. As well as the quality of the stone work here, just take a look at the top right of the shot to see what happens to the sun light in the window.
The other thing is to look at the shadows. Even on a bright, sunny day you can redeem some of the harsh shadows and get a wonderfully balanced shot. So while other photographers are cowering under the mid day sun, you can be out there, kicking shadowy butt. Try doing THIS in photoshop :-) And yes, the shots were both hand held.
Using a polarising filter with your camera is relatively easy. Just look at the bottom of your flare hood for a cut away opening. Once you've taken the small door away, you can adjust the polariser with your finger without having to take the flare hood off all the time.
 |  |
Post a Comment