When do I need a polarizer?
Very simply, a polarizer works like your polarized sunglasses. It cuts glare, bumps contrast, and removes haze from your photos. Here is an example:
In bright, mid-day light, this dark koi pond had a lot of reflection that distracted from the contrast I was looking for:
After attaching my polarizer, I was able to eliminate the glare and play up the contrast in the dark water against the lighter colored koi.
If in doubt, a polarizer is a great idea whenever you are shooting water with reflections, clouds during bright light, or hazy landscapes. (Unless, of course, you are trying to play up the haze or reflection!) It can also work as a slight ND filter if you need just a stop less light. If you want practice seeing what a polarizer can do, pay attention next time you are wearing polarized lenses. When you see a stunning scene, pop off the glasses to see the difference a polarizer makes for you!
A few things to keep in mind:
Polarizers can be cheap and easy to get ahold of. But take a minute to think about the quality glass you are putting on top of your expensive lens. A great polarizer feels like it sharpens all of the details and makes an image pop. (Think of looking out at the beach with a pair of expensive Maui Jim lenses!) A poor one just adds a layer of darkness and muddiness at best. (Your kid’s favorite Mickey Mouse sunglasses). At worst, it adds color cast to your image. (i once had a polarizer with such a strong red cast that my photos looked like sunset when it was stormy!)
New mirrorless cameras sometimes work differently with a polarizer than the DSLR’s. A circular polarizer is often not as effective as a linear one. It is worth doing some research to see what people are happy with when using your camera. Personally, I am a huge fan of the Maven linear polarizer, and now you can get it as a combined polarizer and ND filter together!
Don’t forget to actually TURN your polarizer! So often we buy these fancy new gadgets, and then get too excited to take time to learn how to use them. Slapping that filter on your lens will give you a darker photo. But to get the angle to cut glare, you have to turn the polarizer until you reach the angle that cuts the rays you don’t want. Just watch your LCD or through your viewfinder, and slowly turn until you see it make a difference. That will be a different spot for every scene!
