Whatbird.com

Although I have never used my circular polarizing filter while birding, I am sure there will be a time when I will give it a try. I understand the basics of the shooting angles relevant to the sun, and rotating the filter for the desired effect but there's one question that isn't answered in any of the literature I've read. In order to get the desired effect, the filter needs to be rotated accordingly, which means the lens hood needs to be removed to do the rotating. My question is this, should the lens hood be put back on the lens after getting the filter rotated to the desired position or can/should circular polarizers be used without the lens hood attached for quick access to the rotating adjustment of the filter?

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Leve the hood off it won't hurt a thing.

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Kurt

The only thing you really need the hood for is to prevent lens flares. Take a test shot and look, if you're not seeing any flares, leave the hood off.

Also, one thing I recently read about polarizers that I didn't know before.  The best use for a polarizer when shooting nature and wildlife is to remove the sky's color cast, and not just to make the sky a darker blue.  The sky tends to turn everything under it a bluish color, and the extra blue has the effect of making photos look cold and lifeless.  When you're adjusting your polarizer, don't look at the sky.  Look at the ground instead, and keep turning until the colors warm up to more natural tones.  Just a tip I read.

Thanks for the advice kurt, and thanks for the added tips lyceel *s*

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My unorganized pictures can be viewed at

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I often take photos of insects and it seems that there is always a reflective glare(for lack of a better discription) on one or both of the eyes on things like bees and dragonflies. It seems to be there regardless of whether the lighing is full sun, cloudy, with or without flash, etc. Since the polarizer is suppose to reduce glare, would it remove the glare from the eyes, or is post editing always going to be necessary for pictures like this? I'm sure I'll find out through trial and error soon enough, but thought I'd see what the popular opinion is.

 

 

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My unorganized pictures can be viewed at

http://picasaweb.google.com/lonestranger102

I never tryed one on bugs, mostley to pop a sky or tone down water. You may have answered your own question. They reduce glare, it may not remove all of it. You'll just have to try it and see. Very nice shot. 

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Kurt

With this filter you need to have an understanding of how it works I wish it was as simple as when we put on a pair of sunglasses but alass it isn't you need to line up the polarizing elements of the filter I have found the best way to do this is to ajust it by rotating it till it looks ok in the viewfinder take a shot check it if you need to do a fine adjustment then do so. You may wish to take a look at using a graduated filter this you can do in Photoshop or by placing a filter over the camera lens

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