B+W polariser + some tweaking!

[bahadir]

mtngal wrote:

Definitely prefer the second one - it came out nicely. It's been cloudy and rainy recently, still haven't ventured out with polarizer again. Perhaps tomorrow, but this weekend just doesn't sound like picture-taking weather at all.

Thanks againfor letting me know about your preference

Looking forward to seeing your next set of pictures with the polariser : )

Meanwhile, I was reading a post reply by David King @ BetterPhoto.com to helpwithfairer comparisons Icouldmake ; )

USE A TRIPOD any and every time possible, ESPECIALLY with digital! you'll hear a number of rules of thumb such as the oft quoted one about shooting speeds of 1/focal length to be safe. Nonsense.

A few years ago several instructors and myself at the college where I teach decided to test this. We set up side by side and shot our own cameras at every shutter speed both planted on a tripod and hand held. We then enlarged the 35mm images to 11x14. In every single case, no one had any trouble picking out the hand held shots even with normal (50mm) lenses shot at 1/125 and sometimes 1/250.

They all looked tack sharp on the contacts, and many were acceptable at 8x10 but fell apart readily at 11x14. Years ago in a desperate moment I astonished myself with a hand held shot for a full second leaning against a tree. It was a miracle. I could now claim in some learned article that I can shoot hand held at a second but it would be a lie. Remember the sample shots you see in magazines are small and printed with a line screen for reproduction. The proof is in an enlarged print.

Now before the wails of protest arise, I confess I do have a friend that routinely pulls off 1/30 of a second hand held shots. Or so I thought until we ent shooting together. He takes multiple shots and only prints the ones that worked. The truth is he has about a 20% success ratio and then only when he is leaning against something solid.

So get a useable tripod and a cable release (it does you no good to put the camera on a tripod then lean on it and impose that movement on the camera) and use them. you will notice an improvement in sharpeness. You will probably also notice an improvement in composition becasue now you can study the image and fine tune it. Remember, those great shots of Adams and Weston and Sexton are all shot on tripod and the steadiness and ability to calmly and purposefully compose are as much to credit as the large film size. Good photos are most often "made" not just "taken." some people worry about the time involved but I've always found that Minor White was correct: "If the subject sees in you someone worthy to take its portrait, it will wait for you."

[kenyee]

wow...I didn't notice my B&W filter causing a color cast like that :-P
Is this the MRC model?

[bahadir]

kenyee wrote:

wow...I didn't notice my B&W filter causing a color cast like that :-P
Is this the MRC model?

Oh! I should envy you then : )Your comparative shots will be highly appreciated!

Btw, mine is notthe MRC variant.

[bahadir]

Ok! I seem to sort out the blue cast issue switching the WB from Auto to Daylight.

HereI attach%100 crops shot @ 70mm end of my Sigma 17-70,whose exifs you can see below. As you'll notice I shot the pictures at higher iso levels so as to attain faster shutter speed to eliminate the handshake (couldn't wait for the tripod!!)

Ithink there's no discernableshapness (or softness!) difference though the the one with the polariser was shot 1 step slower (@ Tv:1/400'') and @ 1 step higher iso (@ iso: 640), while I find thegreeneven slightly more vivid!

[bahadir]

with the polariser

[bahadir]

without the polariser

[bahadir]

Here's theuncropped scene...(fromthe balcony of my flat : )