Most people use polarizing filters to reduce the brightness of the sky so that it does not get blown out. However another very useful thing that polarizing filters do is that polarizers reduce unwanted reflections.
This shot below by forum member Travis is an AMAZING example of the same shot with and without a polarizing filter. The top image is shot without the polarizer and the bottom image uses the polarizing filter and gets rid of all the reflections. Thanks so much for letting me use these images Travis!
polarizing filters reduce reflections
3 other links on our forum that talk about how to use polarizers
– Travis’s original post
– Neutral gradient filter — also talks about polarizers
– Filters — also talks about polarizing filters and other filters
I do NOT think the photo was photoshopped. It really is just the perfect example on using a polarizer to reduce glare. The angle (of the polarizer to the light and subject) is perfect and that’s why the difference is so dramatic.
Susan you are right CP can be used to add color pop too, but I have to say the photo above looks like it’s photoshoped? Love the show!
yikes! I had it backwards! I thought the polarizer was on the top photo — used to make the windshield clearer and make the color pop. So, it is the bottom image that makes the reflections disappear, but muddy up the windshield and tone down the color a bit?