Polarize

[pmpm]

Is it possible to replicate the effect of a polarizer using Lightroom.
If so what is the workflow please.

[eliedinur]

Is it possible to replicate the effect of a polarizer using Lightroom.
If so what is the workflow please.

Polarizers are used primarily for two purposes; 1) the darkening of a the sky and 2) reducing reflections from shiny surfaces (actually 1 is a subset of 2). For skies use LR's Graduated Filter, although if the horizon line is "complicated" the better masking tools of a pixel editor might be preferable. For the second purpose, I don't think any software can replace the filter.

[Ed Blagden]

Is it possible to replicate the effect of a polarizer using Lightroom.
If so what is the workflow please.

No, at least not exactly.

However you can get quite close by going to the HSL panel, and reducing the luminance on the blue channel (or selecting the blue sky with the colour picker tool and then reducing luminance).  Don't go too far though, or you will get posterization.

This comes close to a polarizer in darkening a blue sky and increasing cloud contrast.  However, the other thing a polarizer does is reduce glare and reflections, and I don't know of a good software based alternative to that.

Ed

[nemophoto]

The best way to "synthetically" create polarization is a plugin, such as Nik ColorEfex. It has a polarizer filter that's fairly realistic, though, of course, it cannot reduce reflections. you can download a trial which works within both Lightroom and Photoshop.

Nemo

[Ed Blagden]

Now I think of it, there is another faux-polarizer type kludge which I sometimes use on shiny skin in portraits.  African skin is different from European, and can really shine up, which is not a good thing.  In the old days of film, a polarizer would help mitigate and is still the best solution for digital, but absent a polarizer in Lightroom I do the following:

- Use the brush to select the offending area, usually the nose or forehead.
- Reduce brightness slightly, and then apply a little negative clarity.

As always, don't over-do it.  Less is more.

Ed

[NikoJorj]

you can get quite close by going to the HSL panel, and reducing the luminance on the blue channel (or selecting the blue sky with the colour picker tool and then reducing luminance).

Ditoo, I've made a preset with luminance -30 for Blue, and another where the "earthy" shades (orange, yellow, green) are also lightened (+20-30 luminance) which can better mimic the polarizer in some cases.
Season to taste.