Going to the Zoo, bright sunny day question

[BrentC]

I think I remember reading in the past that its a good idea if a bright sunny day to use a CPL filter to keep glare off the fur and feathers. Is this correct? They say its best, if your going specifically for photos its best on an overcast day? Actually suppose to be 8 degrees this weekend and I have never been to the zoo in winter, could be a perfect time.

 

[Derrel]

You know, really, using a CPL can improve color saturation in many situations...it can make the sky a little bluer, make the whiote clouds look better, make human skin tones look better, and it can remove dull, almost-invisible diffuse highights on many surfaces. But the thing is, removing the diffuse highlights on things can, sometimes, make the shapes of objects look just a little bit "weird".

This is difficult to describe in few words, but here goes. We often see things (animals, plants, cars) and see this diffuse highlight on parts of the surface, and those highligh cues give us clues as to the exact shape, or texture, of the thing. Eliminating TOO much diffuse highlight can make "some" things almost disappear, like glass windows, or the surface of a shallow creek...if we polarize away all or most of the highlighting, we lose the shape of some objects.

I'm just saying this: a CPL is not a panacea. it will not always give significantly better results than shooting with no polarizer, and at times, the improvement the CPL provides will not be worth the hassles. Framing up images with a CPL on is not as easy as with no CPL, since it's harder to see the image through the finder. I also think that for maximum impact, CPL filters work best when you bracket the effect, and take 3 or 4 frames for each shot. Polarizing away too much reflection can make shrubs and plants look, well, weird. There's a balance between polarizing away that last little bit of highlight reflection, and polarizing away just enough to actually improve the shot.

 

[chuasam]

I've been to the Toronto Zoo in the winter.
Cold, miserable. All the tropical animals are hiding.
It's really overcast.
Don't bother with the CPL

 

[BrentC]

You know, really, using a CPL can improve color saturation in many situations...it can make the sky a little bluer, make the whiote clouds look better, make human skin tones look better, and it can remove dull, almost-invisible diffuse highights on many surfaces. But the thing is, removing the diffuse highlights on things can, sometimes, make the shapes of objects look just a little bit "weird".

This is difficult to describe in few words, but here goes. We often see things (animals, plants, cars) and see this diffuse highlight on parts of the surface, and those highligh cues give us clues as to the exact shape, or texture, of the thing. Eliminating TOO much diffuse highlight can make "some" things almost disappear, like glass windows, or the surface of a shallow creek...if we polarize away all or most of the highlighting, we lose the shape of some objects.

I'm just saying this: a CPL is not a panacea. it will not always give significantly better results than shooting with no polarizer, and at times, the improvement the CPL provides will not be worth the hassles. Framing up images with a CPL on is not as easy as with no CPL, since it's harder to see the image through the finder. I also think that for maximum impact, CPL filters work best when you bracket the effect, and take 3 or 4 frames for each shot. Polarizing away too much reflection can make shrubs and plants look, well, weird. There's a balance between polarizing away that last little bit of highlight reflection, and polarizing away just enough to actually improve the shot.

Thanks Derrel, I understand what you are saying. I am still just a newbie in LR and PS but I guess you can always post edit and be able to reproduce somewhat close to a polarized effect? and be more selective about it so apply to where its needed?

I do have a CPL, haven't used it yet, but got it specifically to play with in landscape shots.

 

[BrentC]

I've been to the Toronto Zoo in the winter.
Cold, miserable. All the tropical animals are hiding.
It's really overcast.
Don't bother with the CPL

We are actually starting to get a little bit of sun these days. And with the temp going up to 8C could be a very nice day.

 

[Derrel]

No, polarizing is something that is excruciatingly difficult to simulate on many subjects. Polarizing is one of the few types of in-camera effects that are truly best done...in-camera. it has been gloomy here, for days...but we had about 90 minutes of sun peek through today, after a hellacious windstorm and 1 inch of rain.

 

[chuasam]

I've been to the Toronto Zoo in the winter.
Cold, miserable. All the tropical animals are hiding.
It's really overcast.
Don't bother with the CPL

We are actually starting to get a little bit of sun these days. And with the temp going up to 8C could be a very nice day.

much of the exhibits are going to be indoors
you want as much light as possible
if it pleases you, bring the polariser and leave it in your bag
you won't need it