MADMAX
|
2012-10-28 07:56 AM |
|
Nice shots John,
Polarizers are a bit tricky but the results can be amazing.
|
| |
COMMENT 336103
|
2012-10-27 09:26 AM |
|
With the "modern" automobile dashboards with digital displays instead of actual mechanical meters you might find that with polarized sunglasses you will have a hard time reading some of the gauges. Annoying if you are wearing your sunglasses since the glare/sun is strong and suddenly you can't read a gauge that you'd like to be able to monitor. I've often wondered why automobile windshields couldn't be circularly polarized and headlights also circularly polarized and the polarization such that headlights wouldn't be other than glowing sources of light to the oncoming driver. Guess maybe during the day they might make it difficult to see in some instances and likely too costly???
|
| |
COMMENT 335913P
|
2012-10-26 01:10 PM |
|
I agree with the poster who noted that for the aerial photos you take a polarizer can be helpful. That said, I'd like a combination of the two pictures. The first seems more of an advertisement, the proverbial gilding the lily. When I first got a polarizer many years ago I used it frequently; now, however, preferring the "reality" of what I am seeing, I very rarely use it. It's like boosting the saturation: it's great for advertising-type photos but not for those that give or keep a moodiness. It's primary purpose is cuttting the reflection, when, of course, you don't want the reflection. Thanks for the pictures!
|
| |
COMMENT 335894
|
2012-10-26 12:01 PM |
|
doh, meant original poster 847 (typo)
|
| |
COMMENT 335892
|
2012-10-26 11:57 AM |
|
Many sunglasses are polarized so you can test the polarization effect quite easily. Most reflections are polarized so there is means to reduce unwanted reflections. Looking through plexiglass can be very confusing as the localized stress in the plexiglass causes a rotation in the polarization. The plexiglass will show discolored zones. The safety glass used in auto windows gives a neat reflection to polarized sunglasses.
|
| |
COMMENT 335894
|
2012-10-26 11:31 AM |
|
John, original 846 poster, yes, those are the drawbacks that you mention, light reduction can be outweighed by ISO adjustment or aperture adjustment (time increase wouldn't necessarily help with your shots from a moving plane) and the wide angle shots do get a bit color change (especially in the sky), but, my opinion, for the types of shots you take, the polarizer benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
It's a tool to use for the type of shot you'll take. As 863 pointed out, not really useful for indoors.
|
| |
JOHN WILEY
|
2012-10-26 10:56 AM |
|
Wow, quite a polarized group here. I thought there'd be some pointing out the drawbacks. The two big problems for me have been blur introduced by the filter and light reduction. Then there's the way it accentuates viewing angle changes on medium to wide shots. I sure do like the way the harbor shot came out though. :)
|
| |
COMMENT 335864
|
2012-10-26 10:35 AM |
|
As a pilot you would probably benefit from the polarizer nearly always in cutting glare from the plexiglass windshield/windows of the plane (when you can't shoot through open windows) and, as others have noted, in removing glare from water and plant leaves. Also, you are probably aware of the dramatizing effects of increasing contrast between blue skies and white, puffy clouds - especially effective when contemplating making a black & white print of the scene. Think Ansel Adams here.
|
| |
COMMENT 335863
|
2012-10-26 10:33 AM |
|
For the landscape photographer I would say the polarizer is as indispensable as a neutral density filter, for the photo journalist, people or indoor shooter not so much.
|
| |
COMMENT 335894
|
2012-10-26 10:10 AM |
|
I'm with Aquaholic, especially good to take the glare off waters.
John you seem to take plenty of shots with water. Polarizers work best 90 degrees angle from sun. (Perpendicular to direction of the sun).
|
| |
COMMENT 335846
|
2012-10-26 10:09 AM |
|
I did an experiment once and put a polarizing filter in a custom motorized mount which continually rotated the filter, then shot through that with a video camera. The result is you can detect man-made objects (e.g. car windshields) because they will "flash" at the same frequency that the filter is rotating at.
|
| |
AQUAHOLIC
|
2012-10-26 09:27 AM |
|
I almost always use my circular polarizer...you can achieve so many effects that would not be possible without it. Great photos btw!
|
| |
