A polarizing filter, usually called a polarizer for short, still belongs in the photo bag in my opinion. Especially for landscape photography it is still indispensable, because its effect can only be simulated digitally to a limited extent. That’s why we always carry one with us. However, a good polarizing filter is not cheap.
Sky and Clouds
Perhaps the most important effect of the polarizing filter is the darkening of the blue sky. At the same time, the clouds become more prominent and stand out very vividly against the blue of the sky. In addition, yellow and orange tones are intensified. Landscape photos taken in sunshine thus acquire a special color intensity and vividness. The effect can be controlled within wide limits by twisting the two filter discs.
The two comparison shots below show the difference. Left without, and right with polarizing filter.
The green foliage also shows the second effect of the polarizing filter: it reduces the light reflections on the leaves so that the green color is clearly visible.
The effect of the polarizing filter, especially the darkening of the sky, depends strongly on the direction of the sun in relation to the shooting direction. If the sun is behind you or in backlight, the effect is practically non-existent. The effect is most obvious when the sun is at an angle of 90 degrees to the shooting direction. Therefore, some caution is required when using very short focal lengths. Especially with landscape formats, it can then happen that the darkening is unevenly distributed across the width of the image:
This image was taken with a 16 mm lens on a full-frame camera. In the center of the image the sky is much darker than at the edges. Since it is not very easy to improve this uneven sky in post-processing, I think you should do without the polarizing filter in such cases. Fortunately, the effect of the filter is already visible in the viewfinder beforehand. So there are no nasty surprises.
Reflections on non-metallic surfaces
The second important effect of the polarizing filter is the reduction of reflections on non-metallic surfaces such as the leaves in the above comparison images. The effect is even more pronounced on glass panes. The following image from a zoo is a combination of two photos, one taken without and one with a polarizing filter:
The reflection reduction is also controlled by twisting the two filter disks against each other and can be observed in the viewfinder. Without the polarizing filter, all the trees behind the photographer are reflected and the inhabitant of the enclosure, a tiger, is practically unrecognizable. When the filter is optimally adjusted, the pane is almost free of reflections.
A small disadvantage of the polarizing filter should not be concealed: It takes away one to two exposure stops of light.
Conclusion
I still can’t do without a good polarizing filter. What are your experiences? Please feel free to leave a comment.
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