Table of Contents
When is the best time to use a polarizer? When is it not right to use one? There are many times when it is ok to use a polarizer and other moments when it is not ok to use one. Knowing exactly when to and when not to use a polarizer is very crucial in photography.
Below, we help you understand when it ok to use and not to use a polarizer. To help you understand this, we’ll take you through a few scenarios.
But first,
Is a polarizing filter worth it?
A polarizing filter makes a big difference in such cases, not only dramatically reducing these reflections, but also increasing the overall saturation and contrast of the image. In short, it is impossible to simulate the effect of a software-based polarizing filter!
Can I use a polarizing filter all the time?
Even if you’re not supposed to use a polarizer all the time, it’s still an extremely useful tool to have at your disposal, particularly for landscape photography. Of course, like most of the photography equipment, you don’t want to outfit or limit yourself with just one tool.
How it works
The vast majority of our planet’s atmosphere is made up of gasses invisible to the human eye. However, a small amount of the atmosphere consists of water vapor, toxins and other particulate matter. These factors differ in quantity depending on the weather, the time of day and the location.
Water vapor and contaminants contribute to haze, which reduces visibility over long distances, especially near water bodies. The haze we see is the product of light waves entering particles in the air, causing randomization. Even on a bright, sunny day, distant subjects can be blurred by haze. The best way to cut this haze is to use a polarizing filter.
Just as atmospheric particles randomize light, so do reflective surfaces. Using a polarizing filter will increase the color saturation of your images by reducing the reflections of water, glass, leaves and other non-metal surfaces. In addition, using a polarizing filter, you can create deep blue skies in your pictures. Blue light waves are shorter than red and green waves, making them more quickly scattered. Polarizing your view of the sky would prevent random blue light from entering your lens, leaving you with the purest possible blue light.
Polarization can differ significantly based on the celestial location of the sun, so it is important to note that all times of day and time of year can have an effect on the amount of polarization that can be obtained from a polarizing filter.
When to use a polarizer
One good thing about polarizers is that they solve most of the outdoor photography problems.
- To cut down glare: You will find a polarizer very useful when looking to eliminate unwanted reflections. For example, when you want to minimize the glare from the sun off the surface of the water.
By cutting down the glare, a polarizer not only makes transparent surfaces such as water more transparent but also allows you to capture appealing photos. This means if you are using water as a foreground interest, you will be able to capture everything beneath clearly.
You can also use a polarizer to eliminate reflections off of wet surfaces you might encounter in a landscape. For example, leaves or rocks along a body of water.
- To reduce shutter speed: Most photographers are used to neutral filters. What they don’t know is that they can use a polarizer to get the same results. While a polarizer is not going to give the same light-stopping power, they are actually an excellent alternative.
- To make cloud pop/ reduce haze: Polarizers come in handy in minimizing haze. They work by reducing the amount of ambient light entering your camera. They also add definition to bright clouds; hence your images are less affected by hazy skies. The result is a bluer sky with colors that pops.
When not to use a polarizer
Now let’s consider when it is not ok to use a polarizer.
- When you want to highlight a wet surface: Not all the time you want to see through the water. Sometimes you want to use the reflection. For example, to give your images more depth and interest. In such a case, it is not a good idea to use a polariser unless you find the reflections are too intense.
- Low light situations: A polarizer reduces the amount of light entering your lens. So, if you are shooting in dim lighting, for example, when shooting at dusk or in heavy forested scenes, consider not using a polarizer. Again, if shooting in the night, remember to remove the polarizer as it will not work in your favor.
- When the light has an intense color: Want to capture the nice golden color near sunset? Want to capture more colors and light in the photo? Want to incorporate the gorgeous, color-filled reflected light off of any rocks protruding from the water when shooting sunset at a beach? Then avoid using a polarizer. This is because those colors will be reflected off of any wet surfaces in the image.
- When photographing rainbows: Shooting a scene with a rainbow? Consider shooting without the polarizer for the rainbow to appear more intense and vibrant. Using a polarizer will make the rainbow less visible. Unless you want to minimize the appearance of the rainbow, always remove the polarizer.
Conclusion
A polarizer is a great tool you will often need, especially when shooting landscape. While you need it at your disposal, there are moments when it is not ok to use it. Mastering when to use and not to use one can really help take your photography to another level. Hopefully, this article was helpful. Do you have more questions? We are here to help.