Anyone has had any experiences with polarizer filters for glamour photography?

[Foxtrot_01]

Hello,
First of all I would like to thank everyone on this Forum especially Big Mike that is always willing to lend an extra hand and give some advice. I am trying to get into glamour photography and little by little I am trying to get some things that I think that will be useful. I am currently thinking of buying a polarizer lens( I have listed two that are within my budget a tiffen for about $37 and a cokin for about 29.00). I still haven’t made up my mind for either one though.
Anyone has had any experiences with polarizer filters for glamour photography? I live in Miami so I thought that in shoots outside close to the beach and/or the water and the sky could look a lot better with a polarizer filter, I currently have a UV filter that from what I understand is more for protecting the camera sensors and might add to the picture itself(I think).

 

[Big Mike]

If you are shooting in a situation where a polarizing filter will help give you the look you want...then it would be useful, whether it's glamor or landscape photography. So yes, outdoors when you have blue sky or water in the scene, might be situations where you could use it for some effect.

Keep in mind that a polarizer does steal some light, so you will likely have to give up some shutter speed (or use a larger aperture, higher ISO or more lighting power).

Another thing to keep in mind, is that there will be situations where it won't help...so don't just leave it on all the time. Think about when & where to use it and when to take it off.

And yes, UV filters are most often used for protection...but mainly for physical protection. ie: if you drop the lens, you hope the filter breaks instead of the lens.

 

[KmH]

Camera image sensors have a built in UV filter.

Polarizing filters can do some nasty, ugly things to the look of skin.

The filter brands you mention (Cokin/Tiffen) have ok reputations but aren't quality gear.

This is good quality:

Hoya | 58mm Circular Polarizer (HMC) Multi-Coated | A58CRPL

This is top shelf:

B+W | 58mm Kaeseman Circular Polarizing | 66-025830 | B&H Photo