Polarizing Filter in Mountains?

[William Baroo]

Is a polarizing filter a good idea for outdoor photos and videos in mountainous areas? I hope to be in the alps next month.

 

[smoke665]

Yes/no/depends. Yes it's good to have one in the bag. I'd suggest reading this as a good reference on when and how to use. What is a Polarizing Filter? Polarizing Filter Definition

 

[JoeW]

Is a polarizing filter a good idea for outdoor photos and videos in mountainous areas? I hope to be in the alps next month.

Very good for removing reflection off of water, making clouds pop, and adding color to autumn leaves and foliage. It's useful if you're talking bright days with no clouds (ie: direct sunlight). You'd have to stack multiple CPLs if you wanted to use them to reduce light to shoot long exposures (say...a river) in daylight. Personally, while I love my CPLs, I don't use them in the mountains or just outdoors. It is either seasonal (fall) or when I am shooting a lot of clouds.

 

[William Baroo]

I'm studying up on this. It sort of looks like the glare reduction is the big benefit and the other stuff can be fixed with Photoshop.

 

[smoke665]

I'm studying up on this. It sort of looks like the glare reduction is the big benefit and the other stuff can be fixed with Photoshop.

Again yes/no/maybe. If you looked at the link I posted, polarizers don't do much if it's overcast, and the maximum effect is when the sun/light is at 90 degrees. That can create problems if the sun is coming in from one side or the other, as it creates an uneven looking sky.

I find square graduated filters in a Conkin style holder work better for landscape. Stacking multiple filters gives infinite adjustment for tricky dynamic range shots.

 

[Rickbb]

I've only used polarizer filters in the studio shooting products and art works for reproduction. Never tried them in landscapes and such. Tried them on autos, they did cut the glare off the chrome, but made checkerboard patterns in the windows.

They are a bit tricky to figure out what they will or won't do for you.

 

[AlanKlein]

Polarization, which saturates colors, often has a great effect. However, don't overdo the polarization setting when shooting leaves and grasses. I find that if I do, it washes out the life of the foliage by blocking all the reflective elements.

 

[AlanKlein]

Also, be careful when using polarizing filters with wide-angle lenses and the sky. Because these filters operate at maximum when the light is at 90 degrees, you;ll get light and dark areas in the sky when using wide-angle lenses. Wide-angle lenses capture a too-large angle of the sky. So some areas will have no polarization and others maximum. That creates a banding effect. Shoot a smaller section of the sky with a telephoto or normal lens. That will reduce this issue.

 

[ClintLloyd]

I almost exclusively use my polarising filter for waterfall shots...

 

[DigiFilm]

I've only used polarizer filters in the studio shooting products and art works for reproduction. Never tried them in landscapes and such. Tried them on autos, they did cut the glare off the chrome, but made checkerboard patterns in the windows.

They are a bit tricky to figure out what they will or won't do for you.

I have never experienced this before and shoot quite a few autos in bright sunlight. I wonder if the windows had polarizing coating on them? I see dark/light stripes in my car windows when wearing polarized sunglasses.

A polarizer is only going to cut glare on one surface plane at a time, like a storefront glass and a puddle on the sidewalk. You can dial in one or the other, but not both. You may be able to find a setting where both surfaces get some help, but not fully.

One thing I noticed by accident, wearing polarized sunglasses while shooting through a polarizing filter isn't the best idea. I've just ordered new glasses and told them not to add the anti-glare coating, which is polarizing. Not to be confused with anti-reflective coatings, just anti-glare.

There are an awful lot of recommendations out there to use linear polarizers on mirrorless cameras instead of circular. You can find videos if you're interested. I use circular and have never noticed a problem.