How to use and why?: Polarizators

[MartinProsperi]

Hi Community, this is my first post here.

I'm a hobby photographer and I have found that I like doing land/waterscape photography, so I'm constantly traveling, as far as the money allows me to do that, taking pictures and such.

I have bought a set of Cokin filters to a photographer friend and I'm very pleased with these filters, but I'm wondering what about polarizing filters. I googled it but couldn't understand that type of filter. I have seen a couple of examples where the polarizer push down the highlights without affecting the shadows, which would be amazing for the photography I'm doing. Could you please show me some examples or explaining me a little bit about polarizators?

I'm using the Z-Pro Cokin Filters with the holder and such and I have these filters:

Z121M
Z121S
Z121L
Z152
Z154
Z198
Z003

If you want to suggest other filters, please, drop a line.

Because I don't know how many directions has the landscape/waterscape photography has, I'm going to post some images of what I did here, so you may have a better approach to what to suggest or what can be better to improve my photos, etc.

[Jonathan Ratzlaff]

Polarizing filters help control reflections in non-metallic objects.  This results in more saturated colours and improved contrast. They also reduce scattered light and as such cut through haze and darken skies, most notably at right angles to the sun.  The effect cannot  be duplicated in photoshop. The best way to see the effect is to look through the filter and rotate it.  Many landscape photographers, myself included use them most of the time.

[NikoJorj]

My 2c's...
Best use : control of reflections upon water (I like your water photos!) or glass.
Good use : cutting through haze (better with a telephoto).
To be avoided : darkening the skies with a wideangle (say wider than 28mm-eq), the result is generally uneven and very unpleasing.

As said, test for yourself.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

For a photographer unaware of polarizers, you exhibit outstanding visual skills for landscape photography, especially in images 2,3, and 4. Goes to say that vision and talent often trumps naked technical knowledge. Keep up the good work... and polarizers (properly used) are only going to improve it.

[Rob C]

Just thinking aloud:

Martin Prosperi... are you in any way connected with Anna Prosperi, from Lucae (Lucca, today), mother of Pope Leo XIII?

If so, be proud of her skill with the embroidery needle.

Rob C

[MartinProsperi]

Polarizing filters help control reflections in non-metallic objects.  This results in more saturated colours and improved contrast. They also reduce scattered light and as such cut through haze and darken skies, most notably at right angles to the sun.  The effect cannot  be duplicated in photoshop. The best way to see the effect is to look through the filter and rotate it.  Many landscape photographers, myself included use them most of the time.

Oh, good. I've seen there are squared and circular, could be? Is there any substantial difference among them?

Thanks for replaying,

Mart

[MartinProsperi]

To be avoided : darkening the skies with a wideangle (say wider than 28mm-eq), the result is generally uneven and very unpleasing.
As said, test for yourself.

Mmmhh... Do you mean, vignetting? I use a 24-70mm, usually at 24mm.

Thanks for replaying!

Mart

[MartinProsperi]

For a photographer unaware of polarizers, you exhibit outstanding visual skills for landscape photography, especially in images 2,3, and 4. Goes to say that vision and talent often trumps naked technical knowledge. Keep up the good work... and polarizers (properly used) are only going to improve it.

Hey, thank you. Posted these ones to show that I'm a total rookie on landscape, but I have around 4 years since I bought my first camera, so I'm not so rookie, but in this field, which I'm trying to get into  So, showing these, people will have a better approach giving me advices. I bought the Cokin Filters just because the price to try them out ^^ and I got amazed with the results, so I have seen around the Internet that polrarizers are a must in this field and I want to take even better pictures, so... here we're ^^

Thanks for the comment on the pics, and for the advice!

Mart

[DarkPenguin]

Mmmhh... Do you mean, vignetting? I use a 24-70mm, usually at 24mm.

Thanks for replaying!

Mart

No.

The effect is uneven.  It is most pronounced at right angles to the sun and nonexistent when pointed at or directly away from the sun.  So if your lens is wide enough you'll go from no effect to max effect in the same shot.

[MartinProsperi]

Just thinking aloud:

Martin Prosperi... are you in any way connected with Anna Prosperi, from Lucae (Lucca, today), mother of Pope Leo XIII?

If so, be proud of her skill with the embroidery needle.

Rob C

Haha... Nope... I don't know them. Do you think they will facilitate me the European Nationality?

Mart

[MartinProsperi]

No.

The effect is uneven.  It is most pronounced at right angles to the sun and nonexistent when pointed at or directly away from the sun.  So if your lens is wide enough you'll go from no effect to max effect in the same shot.

Oh, I see.