Use of Circular Polarizer

KingX · 7th June 2005

Hi Guys,

I will be going to Maldive next month for holiday and will be shooting lots of picture of my wife on the beach, could someone advise if it's advisable to keep the circular polarizer on the camera for the shoots ? Or is the fliter only meant for shooting the sky or landscape with increase contrast btw cloud and sky ?

I am not sure if using polarizer is appropriate for portrait shots with beach as the background. Or someone would be kind enough to teach me the correct use of this filter.

LittleWolf · 7th June 2005

Originally Posted by KingX

I will be going to Maldive next month for holiday and will be shooting lots of picture of my wife on the beach, could someone advise if it's advisable to keep the circular polarizer on the camera for the shoots ?

My general advice is not to use any filters unless you want/need to. On the beach, with sand and salt water spray around, the idea of protecting the lens has some merit - but it still is a trade off with respect to image quality.

Quote:

Or is the fliter only meant for shooting the sky or landscape with increase contrast btw cloud and sky ?

The filter is meant to pass light of one linear polarization and block/reflect light of the other polarization - no more and no less. And one might even use it for different purposes than that, e.g. as a substitute for a neutral density filter.

Quote:

I am not sure if using polarizer is appropriate [...]. Or someone would be kind enough to teach me the correct use of this filter.

What is appropriate depends entirely on your taste, and what is correct technique depends on what you want to achieve. In the same situation, different people might use polarizers to achieve diametrally opposite goals. The pictures will be different, but neither one is "correct" or "wrong".

hongsien · 8th June 2005

Polarisers does increase the colour intensity, so if this is what you are looking at for your wifey on the beach with a tanned skin and blue sky and blue water, then use it..........

HS

KingX · 8th June 2005

Thanks both, for the useful advise on this.

I guess I will use the filter for portrait shots as I like pic with saturated color, and to protect from the lens from salt water. Will be doing more research on the using of this filter.

student · 8th June 2005

Ask yourself what a polariser does and you will know when and how to use it, and when and how not to use it.

He who knows why will always be more effectual than he who knows how.

Your last post suggests that you really should, as you yourself indicated, study more on the functions of a polariser.

7th June 2005	#1
KingX New Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 7	Use of Circular Polarizer Hi Guys, I will be going to Maldive next month for holiday and will be shooting lots of picture of my wife on the beach, could someone advise if it's advisable to keep the circular polarizer on the camera for the shoots ? Or is the fliter only meant for shooting the sky or landscape with increase contrast btw cloud and sky ? I am not sure if using polarizer is appropriate for portrait shots with beach as the background. Or someone would be kind enough to teach me the correct use of this filter.

8th June 2005	#3
hongsien Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 2,904	Polarisers does increase the colour intensity, so if this is what you are looking at for your wifey on the beach with a tanned skin and blue sky and blue water, then use it.......... HS

8th June 2005	#5
student Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 3,091	Ask yourself what a polariser does and you will know when and how to use it, and when and how not to use it. He who knows why will always be more effectual than he who knows how. Your last post suggests that you really should, as you yourself indicated, study more on the functions of a polariser.