The Weatherman

I got a chance to play around with my circular polarizer filter this weekend. A polarizer can intensify colors and cut down on reflection. A circular polarizer spins so you can control the polarizing effect.

The polarizer is also affected by the sun angle. The most dramatic effect is when the sun is perpendicular to the camera direction. So if the sun is in the west, the polarizer is most effective with the camera pointing north or south.

This 90 degree effect is obvious with a circular polarizer. If you are pointing the camera perpendicular to the sun, and spin the filter, you will see dramatic affects in the contrast when viewing thru the viewfinder. If you are not 90 degrees, the effect is lessened or nonexistent.

Here are some photos showing the differences.

And another.

More Summer Photos.

I finally picked up a digital SLR - Canon Digital Rebel XT (silver) with a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and a tiffen circular polarizer filter. The package arrived on Saturday (yesterday). I haven’t uploaded any pictures yet but will soon. My previous cameras are a Canon AE-1 and a Canon S70. The transition from the S70 to the DSLR was pretty simple since I stuck with Canon - the menu interface is somewhat similar.

I’ve primarily photographed Zachary in Los Gatos (yesterday) and at the Los Altos Art and Wine Festival (today). It’s definitely easier to take close ups then with the S70. Although I have definitely taken my share of crappy photos also.

I’ve been saving the images in RAW format - definitely the way to go. You can later alter the photo with the same settings you would have chosen on the camera when the photo was taken. For example, I can adjust the white balance or the EC on the RAW image.

So far it’s awesome camera.
Some Photos