Polarizer

I recently got my $80 circular polarizer out, remembering how it used to darken the blues in the skies back in my film days. I'd mostly use it in black and whites to create some dramatic blacks in the sky, and I thought I'd put it to use on my 5D with some photos on a great, blue-sky day.

The two photos above are not adjusted in photoshop at all. The only difference between the two are a quick shift in the circular polarizer, deepening the blues. I'd forgotten how good of a job the polarizer does of it...

This one allowed me to get a great exposure on the statue's face, yet still keep a deep, dark blue in the sky.

In this one, the tombstone had a touching, heart-breaking photograph of an infant. Without the polarizer, there would have been a glossy sheen to the photograph inset, and the glare would have obscured detail. With the polarizer, a little turn takes it all away.

I'd forgotten how cool a polarizer could be, and I'll definitely be using it more soon.