DSLR Geek

By Patrick Arseneau – A lot of people look at my landscape pictures and say “Wow! How did you do that?” or “You must have a really good camera”. Well I’m about to share a little secret. Yes I do have a fairly good camera, but the real reason why the sky is so blue and the colors are so saturated is because I’m using a polarizer.

The easiest way to understand what a polarizer does is by putting on a really good pair of sunglasses on a bright sunny day. You’ll notice right away that everything looks crisper and the colors are more saturated. Well that’s what polarizers do. It filters unwanted light. The filter reduces the “haze” in the air and the reflections from shiny objects and water.

Look at the following example:

Without a Polarizer

With Polarizer

With the polarizer, the “haze” in the air is practically gone and as a result, the colors are more saturated. The sky for example is a bit darker and you can actually see some clouds on the right that were completely washed out in the left picture. Also, there is less
reflection one the water when using a polarizer.

Note that for a more dramatic result, it’s best to position yourself so that the sun is at your 90°. In the above example, the sun is just off-frame to the left which is why half the sky is almost white.

Another example:

Without Polarizer

With Polarizer

In this example, without a polarizer the reflection on the water is so strong that a lot of details are washed out. In the second picture the polarizer filters the unwanted light to show more detail and color around the reflection.

Linear VS Circular

There are 2 types of polarizer filters; linear and circular. Linear polarizers might be more effective for filtering light, but unless you have a 20 year old camera, you’re gonna want a circular polarizer. Circular polarizers allow the use of auto-focus and metering features.  The latter is more expensive but it’s definitely the right choice for your DSLR camera.

How much?

Prices for polarizers vary depending on the size and brand. Prices are usualy proportionate to the quality. So when it comes to choosing, go with what your budget allows. The Hoya brand is one of the most respected and used by professionals.

Keep in mind that when using a polarizer, the exposure is also affected. There are easy ways to deal with this but polarizers may not be the best option when shooting in a low light environment since you’ll have to reduce the shutter speed considerably to allow enough light to come through.

Conclusion

There is a lot more to learn about polarizer filters, but it all comes down to what I mentioned in this article. There’s no need to get into the technical details of how it works. What you really care to know is what you can benefit from it:

• Darker and more saturated sky.
• Reduce water reflection and glare from shiny objects.
• Enhance colors by reducing unwanted “haze”.

If you wish to add more to this subject, feel free to leave a comment below.