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I'm creating these for my own use as prompts to use "in the field" as I attempt to develop my photographic skills and learn to acually use my Nikon D40 DSLR.
As such they are radically different from most of the other sets on this site. Forewarned is forearmed! :-)
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First and formost, screw the circular polarizing filter over the lens. Rotate it while looking through the viewfinder to see what effect, if any, it has on the scene.
See note on old equipment under "definition.".
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| If you have a filter from the analog days, it will not work on a digital camera, more's the pity. |
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Depending on the light's angle, polarizing filters can often:
- Darken skies and make clouds more attractive
- Remove reflections on NON-METALIC surfaces such as glass, leaves, and water
- Deepen the color of foliage and flower by removing reflections the eye is not aware of
Cons will appear at the end of this deck |
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| The effectiveness of the polarizing filter depends on the angle your subject is to the light - at 90 degrees you see the most effect. Make a "pistol" with your hand, point your thumb to the light source, and your index finger will show you the area of most effect. Generally this will be sometime in the morning or afternoon, so in effect a polarizing filter can make the hours after or before the "golden hour" into desirable photographing time, but it can't save midday. See below for the "pistol" |
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Consider the image in your viewfinder carefuly. You may not want to use the full effect available to you. A pool of water with no reflections at all may look unnatural, or a sky may look unnaturally dark. Turn the filter more or less to achieve the desired effect. If in doubt see "definitions."
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There was an adage in analog days, "Waste film, not time" that we can rephrase today to "Waste shots, not opportunities." Your viewfinder has a tiny view of what will be a large photo. Make slight adjustments to the polarizer, take several photos, and decide which one you like best when you can view the entire photo. |
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So, your mission, should you choose to accept it.
1. Experiment with rotating the polarizer.
Observe its effect on reflections, on blue skies and clouds, and on the colors in the scene.
See tip in definition section |
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Take "reference" photos at various angles and even one without the filter attatched. Don't bother looking for a good shot - if you don't get it right, and you're easily discouraged like me, you may give up. Just photograph anything you can see a difference in, evaluate the photos, and delete any that don't seem useful to keep as examples. |
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2. Learn to adjust your camera's exposure control. Practice, practice, practice adjusting it and setting it back to auto, so that when you're on a "real" photo shoot (that once-in-a-lifetime vacation!) you'll be able to do it smoothly!
Remember to restore your settings after you're done with the polarizer!
If you can't find your manual, see definition section.
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Your manual is probably available online. I lost the one for my Nikon. I printed it out from their website (very bulky, as each small page prints on a full sheet of paper) and I downloaded the PDF (awkward to navigate, but easy to cary with me on my phone.)
If that doesn't work, go to the nearest camera store. They can probably figure it out for you. Take notes. |
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3. Learn to adjust White Balance.
Set it to Daylight.
Consult your camera manual. If you've lost it, see "definitions section."
Remember to restore your settings after you're done with the polarizer! Your camera probably has a "reset" command - you may want to learn to use it. |
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Your manual is probably available online. I lost the one for my Nikon. I printed it out from their website (very bulky, as each small page prints on a full sheet of paper) and I downloaded the PDF (awkward to navigate, but easy to cary with me on my phone.)
If that doesn't work, go to the nearest camera store. They can probably figure it out for you. Take notes.
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Cons of Polarizing Filters.
They may make the sky look unnaturally blue.
They may make water look unnaturally clear.
Simply rotate less.
Two more cons under "Definiton" my source for these is the link at the bottom of the card.
http://www.dslrtips.com/workshops/How_to_use_polarizing_filters/reduce_haze_deep_blue_sky.shtml
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They eat up a lot of light. Hold very steady, improvise support for the camera, or use a tripod.
As your lens auto focuses it may rotate and change the effect. Use focus lock and check, re-rotating if necessary.
My source is the link at the bottom of the card.
http://www.dslrtips.com/workshops/How_to_use_polarizing_filters/reduce_haze_deep_blue_sky.shtml
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Your camera probably has a "reset" command. You may want to learn to use it. That way you don't have to remember which settings you've changed.
Consult your camera manual. If you've lost it, see "definitions" below. |
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