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Post by Peterj on Sept 15, 2017 1:47:41 GMT
Many of you probably are aware of this, but I thought I'd share. On my walk today I didn't find much to capture that I hadn't already. I decided to test how and if a circular polarizer affects color in out door photography. I shot these images with the sun at about 90 degrees from camera direction, all hand held with approximately the same subject. These are all screen shots of sooc jpgs - the only editing was adding text in PSE. The colors are a bit richer when using the CP.    |
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Post by hmca on Sept 15, 2017 2:49:30 GMT
Peterj.....thanks for sharing this. I used my circular polarizer on our recent trip. I have a hard time seeing the difference when I'm taking the shot and sometimes find that I have gotten it too dark when I open it in PS. I will have to practice the way you mentioned above.
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Post by Peterj on Sept 15, 2017 3:22:42 GMT
hmca I have a camera with an EVF so I see immediately the effect - maybe live view..
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Post by cats4jan on Sept 15, 2017 14:27:57 GMT
Pete - that has a good effect on your photos. I really like the second shots so much better
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Post by bryston3bsst on Sept 19, 2017 12:31:30 GMT
There may be some additional effect to be had with this. I'm thinking that you may not have had the polarizer adjusted properly. If it were turned correctly with regard to the sun the reflections on the water would have been almost completely eliminated. The polarizer I used years ago with my film cameras had a white mark on the rim that was to be pointed toward the sun for proper alignment. My new one, a B&W, does not have this mark so it requires some experimentation and watching to see just where the correct alignment is. I should have mentioned, this applies to a circular polarizer, not a linear. So maybe my post is moot if in fact you were using a linear.  |
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Post by hmca on Sept 19, 2017 13:24:36 GMT
This idea of using the direction of the sun to adjust the polarizer is not something I was aware of. I read it in Peterj's original post and now read it in bryston's. I will have to see if I can figure this out the next time I try to use it.
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Post by bryston3bsst on Sept 19, 2017 13:32:28 GMT
This is an interesting article regarding how these things actually work. www.bobatkins.com/photography/technical/polarizers.htmlI keep telling myself to find and mark the correct spot on mine to orient to the sun....just makes it a lot easier and faster to set it where it needs to be for the greatest effect. |
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Post by hmca on Sept 19, 2017 13:35:55 GMT
Thanks, bryston3bsst! I am saving your article, very helpful. |
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Post by Peterj on Sept 19, 2017 13:48:04 GMT
There may be some additional effect to be had with this. I'm thinking that you may not have had the polarizer adjusted properly. If it were turned correctly with regard to the sun the reflections on the water would have been almost completely eliminated. The polarizer I used years ago with my film cameras had a white mark on the rim that was to be pointed toward the sun for proper alignment. My new one, a B&W, does not have this mark so it requires some experimentation and watching to see just where the correct alignment is. I should have mentioned, this applies to a circular polarizer, not a linear. So maybe my post is moot if in fact you were using a linear. You're probably correct because I adjusted the CP to maximize the color and paid no attention to reflections. The method I used was to look for the greatest delta in the sky as I rotated the filter. |
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Post by bryston3bsst on Sept 19, 2017 13:55:35 GMT
Yea.......that's pretty much what I do too...turn until you get the effect you like.
I need to play around with this more. I haven't had that thing on my camera in years.
Another easy way to find the point of greatest effect on your filter it to look at your computer screen through it, then turn it until the screen goes completely black. Then you can mark the point at 12 o'clock. That mark then is what you point to the sun.
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Post by blackmutt on Sept 21, 2017 1:02:55 GMT
A tip I was once told - use a circular polarizer when the sun slaps you in the side of the face. It has no value any other time.
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Post by bryston3bsst on Sept 26, 2017 13:42:28 GMT
A tip I was once told - use a circular polarizer when the sun slaps you in the side of the face. It has no value any other time.Not sure what this means. 'Slaps you in the side of the face'.......so, only use a polarizer at sunrise and sunset? If that is what you are saying, then I disagree. A CP can be quite useful to achieve many other effects. It almost sounds like the person that gave you this 'tip' has never used a CP. |
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Post by Peterj on Sept 26, 2017 14:20:40 GMT
I interpret this as as an emphatic "use a CP when the camera capture direction is approximately 90 degrees to the sun."
This is the way to intensify the blue in the sky. I'm not certain how effective this would be minimizing reflections.
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Post by blackmutt on Sept 26, 2017 16:52:25 GMT
I interpret this as as an emphatic "use a CP when the camera capture direction is approximately 90 degrees to the sun."
This is the way to intensify the blue in the sky. I'm not certain how effective this would be minimizing reflections.
Exactly, Peterj. For the full effect on the sky, the sun should be at a 90* angle to the shooter. The sun will be shining on the side of your face. You would rotate your circular polarizing filter until you see the desired effect. |
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 10, 2017 18:08:41 GMT
A tip I was once told - use a circular polarizer when the sun slaps you in the side of the face. It has no value any other time. I will have to respectfully disagree with that idea. I use an affordable AGFA CPL that only ever comes off when interior shots get too dark. I take the hood off, point the lens at something, and rotate the CPL until things look best to my liking, put the hood back on and not mess with it again until it gets removed for whatever reason; I know the experts claim that it has to be oriented according to the sun's position, but I have found that once I get it zeroed in to my liking, I can point the camera in whichever direction and things will still look good. In my experience, the CPL keeps the color in the sky and makes everything more vibrant and clear. I have also found that there is a particular letter printed on the rim of the CPL that, when things in the viewfinder look their best, that letter is aligned with another particular letter on the rim of the lens, REGARDLESS OF SUN POSITION. Much like my thoughts on the golden hour myth, I know that a lot of this flies in the face of printed wisdom, but it is what works for me. Thanks for reading. |
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