polarizing filter

[Drew Wiley]

Guess it depends on your objective. Scenic photographers have used polarizers for decades to enhance things like yellow fall leaves. I just prefer the more natural look reflections and all, just as my eyes see the potential composition. Same with black and white. Of course, in some angles of light you can fine-tune the amount of polarization, but you need that kind of angle selectively, which makes the technique impractical for most wide-angle lens applications, which cover to wide a degree. But there is also an optical reason to avoid polarizers if you're into highly detailed or big enlargements : the filter involves four air/glass interfaces plus the filter material, so quite a bit more potential for minor image degredation than a basic multicoated contrast filter, with only two surfaces. None of this is an ideology for me. I had my brief era of experimenting with polarizers and came to the conclusion they're not generally useful to me personally. Someone else might like them.

[C. D. Keth]

I use one quite a bit but I tend to use a 1-stop pola more than the usual 1-2/3 stop type. It's the same effect but lighter and more natural looking to my eyes.

[Greg Miller]

For any landscape with foliage (pretty much all landscapes for me), I use a polarizer to remove the reflection form leaves. Most leaves have at least a bit of a waxy sheen to them which either reflects blue sky or gray clouds. I'd rather have green leaves in most cases so i use a polarizer.

[lenser]

For color and sunlight, quite often. Sometimes on hazy days as well.

For black and white with any blue sky showing, very likely and in combination with either a yellow or red filter to tremendously offset clouds from the skies. Bad if the blue sky is met by dark trees though in which case it can lose one in the other, especially with a red filter.

For reflections, one of the nice things is that it can be controlled to vary it's result. Therefore, actually observe the range of changes that occur in the scene as you rotate the filter.

I classify it as the most useful filter in my kit and therefore always carry a spare, just in case.

[Heroique]

I classify it as the most useful filter in my kit and therefore always carry a spare, just in case.

Yes, and in a pinch, my polarizer also serves as a dependable 2-stop ND filter.

Though for color shots, it does struggle to pass any standards for "neutrality."

But my real ND and GND filters struggle with this too (to some degree).

A little known use – after I've composed my shot, and I'm waiting for the wind to subside, and I'm really bored, I sometimes hold the polarizer up to my eye, turn it back and forth, and watch the world change. Helps pass the time! It even seems to have a magical effect on stilling the wind.

[Kirk Gittings]

Never. I don't like what they do to either colors or reflections. I do use them on the copystand, for cross-polarized lighting.

ditto.

[Greg Miller]

Though for color shots, it does struggle to pass any standards for "neutrality."

But my real ND and GND filters struggle with this too (to some degree).

I'm curious about what filters you are using. I am familiar with Singh Ray and B&W and have not experienced any neutrality issues. Certainly polarizers can struggle with this (the cheaper varieties), but a good quality polarizer should be very neutral.

[Robert Langham]

I use them quite a bit, but almost never just to drop sky value. You might be amazed at the amount of reflection on leaves, gravel, rock, skin, et. There's a LOT. On overcast days they are really useful. It's a Clift technique. I was having a hard time getting new blossoms to pop out of the background until I began to use them. Really can help calm down an image, not ramp it up to technicolor. In Canyon de Chelly, wall stripes reveal much more of their contrast with a polarizer.

On digital I use them almost all the time in natural light.

[David Lobato]

I probably use polarizers more often to cut reflections on foliage to get deep smooth tones. And for better saturation with color film on a scene with no sky.

Red, orange, or yellow filters will darken clear blue skies. But be careful, the same "minus blue" effect works to darken shadows into having little detail. A polarizer will darken skies without disproportionally affecting shadow densities.

Technically speaking it's called a polarizing screen, but we carelessly call them filters.

[David Lobato]

Nice examples Robert.