The polarizing filter is an essential part of your photography kit. If you don’t have a polarizing filter in your camera bag, then you are missing out big time. It’s the one filter I and most other photographers just wouldn’t be without. But what does it do exactly? I’ll show you two great effects.
We most commonly use a polarizing filter in harsh light, typically later in the day when the sun is up high and the colours are starting to look washed out. It’s most obvious and well-known effect is to darken blue skies and add definition to clouds. It also boosts contrast and colour.
The images below of a church at Kropa, Slovenia, illustrate this, both with and without the use of a polarizing filter. See how the sky is deeper blue, the clouds are more defined, and the colour of the trees is warmer and more vivid.
Cutting out haze
Another, perhaps lesser-known, effect of a polarizing filter is that it cuts out haze. This is how it makes blue skies look more blue. But this effect also works on mountains. Look at the two photos below of Jamnik Church in Slovenia:
So if you haven’t got one, get out there now and add this great filter to your camera kit. I recommend these two makes. I used the Hoya Pro circular polariser for these two images above, which I still have. I also now use a Kase magnetic filter that came with their K9 filter holder. You can see what I think of this in the video below.
