Polorized with Flash

M @ k o · May 17, 2005

Hope this is not to noobish, but is it ok to use a flash with pol filter? For example, A day time beach scene where I would like to use the pol filter to darken the background of a potrait of someone with sun setting in the back ground and fill in some light from the front. Is this possible ?

Big Mike · May 17, 2005

As far as I know, it should be OK. I don't think that the filter will affect the light from the flash (other than the stop of light that you lose by using th filter anyway).

Also, remember that a polarizing filter works best when used at 90 degrees to the sun. So if you are taking a shot with the setting sun in the background, you won't get as much polarizing effect as you would if you turned 90 degrees. Although, it might take some of the reflections out of the water & define the clouds a little more.

M @ k o · May 17, 2005

Gotcha ! , Thx a million Big Mike !

SLOShooter · May 17, 2005

It shouldn't be affected othat than the stop that Mike mentioned. If the flash gets reflected off of something that polarizes it, IE water or something like that, then it could get blocked by the filter but it would have to be polarized in the same plane as the light you were already blocking so I wouldn't really worry about it.