Cecret Rainbow

[Lonnie Utah]

Got lucky this AM. Rainbow over Cecret Lake, Alta, Ut. I would have loved to put a polarizer on and really make this pop, but it lasted all of about 60 seconds.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

...I would have loved to put a polarizer on and really make this pop...

Ahmmm... that is what post processing is for 

[Paulo Bizarro]

I am not processing expert, but the consensus seams to be that polarization is hard to reproduce?

I like the fact that the rainbow's curvature is in synch with the curvature of the rock in the left hand side in the bottom.

[Lonnie Utah]

I am not processing expert, but the consensus seams to be that polarization is hard to reproduce?

A polarizing filter will intensity the strength rainbow. That's not an effect that can easily be reproduced in post. However, thinking about this further (overnight), I'm wondering if the polarizer would have also reduced the reflection on the surface of the lake, which is not something I would have wanted to do either. Bottom line, I got lucky with the light and I'm happy about that.  

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

I am not processing expert, but the consensus seams to be that polarization is hard to reproduce?

Like all generalizations, this one is also (partially) right or wrong, based on context. Polarization has two major effects: removing reflections/glare and darkening the sky. It is indeed very difficult to reproduce the former, but not so difficult with the latter.

The main reason rainbows "pop" with polarizers is the sky-darkening effect, making them stand out better against the darker sky.