Polarizing filter aquestion.....

[Wizard15001]

Would a circular polarizing filter be desirable for studio work of items that contain stainless steel? I have experience ( from the '70's - '80's in wedding and portraiture ), but am new to all this digital stuff. I understand how polarizers work, just don't know if it would be beneficial in a studio setting....tia.....

 

[480sparky41 40]

Polarizers are very beneficial to studio work. But it takes understanding them to use them properly.

And it's not just a filter on the lens. Many times, the lights are polarized as well.

 

[Wizard15001]

Thank you.....

 

[PWhite214]

Get a copy of Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting. I am working my way through it as I have time.
[h=1][/h]
Phil

 

[TCampbell]

Think of all shiny surfaces as "mirrors". Like a mirror... what you see in it depends on your angle to the mirror and what lies in the direction opposite your angle.

In a studio you can control that. Pick up some large white foam-core and black foam-core boards which can be placed just out of frame to control the reflection of any shiny surface.

A polarizer helps particularly when you're trying to shoot "through" a glass surface. E.g. if you were shooting a watch and trying to reduce reflection on the crystal so you can get a better exposure to the watch face.

But when the surface is supposed to have a reflection (shiny metals) then control those reflections by controlling what the object is in the reflection -- and that's the point of the solid white or solid black boards.

 

[Wizard15001]

Think of all shiny surfaces as "mirrors". Like a mirror... what you see in it depends on your angle to the mirror and what lies in the direction opposite your angle.

In a studio you can control that. Pick up some large white foam-core and black foam-core boards which can be placed just out of frame to control the reflection of any shiny surface.

A polarizer helps particularly when you're trying to shoot "through" a glass surface. E.g. if you were shooting a watch and trying to reduce reflection on the crystal so you can get a better exposure to the watch face.

But when the surface is supposed to have a reflection (shiny metals) then control those reflections by controlling what the object is in the reflection -- and that's the point of the solid white or solid black boards.

Thank you....that makes a lot of sense......

 

[Actinia]

Polarizers will only be effective from surfaces where some of the light is reflected and some transmitted. The reflected light is more polarised one way (parallel to the surface) and the transmitted light more the other way. If the light is reflected from a mirror-like object (called specular reflection), then the polarizer will have no effect.