Polariser

[jimmy83]

When ever I've taken some landscape shots, I find that the sky is always blown out. Apart from learning the skills to improve my landscape photography. I've read that most people use polariser lens covers, am I right in thinking that?

 

[gramps]

Or a grad filter to cover the sky area to lessen the exposure.

 

[gad-westy]

A polariser won't prevent the sky being blown, although it will improve a well exposed sky amongst other wonderful things. As gramps says, an ND grad is what's needed to control the sky exposure.

 

[HoppyUK]

Polarisers are very good for darkening a blue sky, but they do nothing on dull days as there is no polarised light. They also reduce reflections, which are also polarised, which makes foliage and stuff look richer, hence the popularity with landscapers.

Grads are good for dull skies - dark at the top, fading to clear. Or you can use HDR technique which blends several exposures made at different levels to cover the extra brightness of the blown sky. Photomatix software is very good for this http://hdrsoft.com/

 

[freefall]

Hoppy has good points. I try to do a best as I can in raw then use a brush in lightroom to bring back the sky a bit.

 

[tms789]

In my experience polarisers are limited in their effect. You have to be at the right angle to the sun for them to work effectively. Clearly this is not always practical. However when you are at the right angle they do work well.

 

[TinaC]

In my experience polarisers are limited in their effect. You have to be at the right angle to the sun for them to work effectively. Clearly this is not always practical. However when you are at the right angle they do work well.

A graduated filter is very useful for areas of great contrast of light values. Whether a hard or soft grad is most useful depends on the circumstances.