Sunglasses

Hello,

So the other day I went driving for a bit and ended up outside of Red Rock Canyon which is closed due to the pandemic. There were wildflowers all over though so I decided to take some pictures. It started off East of the entrance and close to the road meaning close to my vehicle. I got the pictures that I wanted then drove to see if I could frame things differently. I ended up walking for a few minutes and realized that I took off my CPL (polarizing) filter and left it on the passenger seat. I also enjoyed the way that the sky looked and didn’t want to lose it so I didn’t go back to the vehicle.

This was just East of the entrance with a CPL filter on. More are in the Red Rock folder

So instead of going back and losing the cloud dispersion I took off my sunglasses and put them over the lens. They aren’t as good as a CPL but they can work in a pinch. They can also work as an ND filter.

Taken with sunglasses instead of a CPL filter. If you compare the two images the strength difference can be seen. I deleted the ones I took without the CPL or glasses.

I am not saying get rid of your CPL and ND filters. I am saying that sunglasses can be used in a pinch.

Depending on the camera and glasses it is possible to wedge them together.

There are a few caveats, the polarizing effect only works if they are polarizing lenses, effectiveness is proportional to the size of the glasses and the size of the lens opening, the more scratches on the glasses the more imperfect the image will be, and the glasses probably will change what your WB should be. Those are the major ones.

If you have any stories or images of how you have used something related to photography for another purpose please feel free to share.

~Scott

Reflections with CPL

Good evening,

Tonight we are going to talk about reflections. We can add a new dimension to an image with a reflection. There are plenty of images out there with reflections, quite a few would just be okay without out the reflection. Once it is added though the image grabs the attention of the viewer. 

If this was just the top half of the picture it is okay, with the reflection it makes the mind think for a second and hold the viewer's attention. With the CPL turned the vegetation under the water would be more visible.

CPL filters as discussed before can alter reflections on non metallic surfaces. Reflections can be controlled easier with a CPL in place. Below we have the same scene taken first with a CPL on then with it off. The focus point was different because the subject changed and can e noticed in the detail on the hose.

Can this effect be mimicked in post processing? Probably, having a CPL to do the job saves a plethora of time especially if there is a series of images. Can we still get reflections without a CPL? Sure. 

My Daughter reflected in a pool. If I was using a CPL then her reflection probably would be more defined and less of the rocks would be visible.

Reflections in the desert is one of the reasons to go out after it rains in Las Vegas. Again quality filters are recommended, a rule of thumb is to purchase the most expensive one can afford. I would love to see some pictures from you. Grab a filter then go out and shoot.

~Scott

Filters: Circular Polarizer aka CPL

Good Evening,

I thank you ahead of time for your patience, pictures will follow later for this post. This weekend has been busy, I still have to go through pictures from my 5 year old's birthday party.

Today I am going to talk about equipment starting with filters. Let me start off with saying we want good filters. Anything we put in front of the lens alters the quality of the light hitting the sensor. Poorly made filters will potentially degrade the image quality and/or have color casts. Most filter effects can be done in the camera or in post processing. The ones that can't without difficulty are CPL and Neutral Density aka ND, normal ones and graduated ones too.

We are going to talk about CPL filters which have some useful effects today. They can increase the contrast of the scene which can be very useful in landscapes and images with some clouds in the sky or both, limit reflections on water and non metallic surfaces, reduce glare, make flat screen images disappear, and make plants look more vibrant. I have also read that they make rainbows more prominent in photos, I have never had a chance to test it.

Here is the difference it makes in the sky with clouds, darker greens can be noticed on the tree too.

Some out there may be thinking that all of these things are great let's get one and leave it on the lens all the time, there are some drawbacks. A good one is usually expensive, so I recommend getting a good quality one that fits your largest lens then step rings for the smaller lenses. They decrease the amount of light hitting the sensor by a stop or so. The effect isn't as great on an ultra wide lens.

I have used Hoya, BW, and Tiffen with good effect. Get one if you are so inclined and go out and shoot.

~Scott