halp!!

86JR

86JR

86JR

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Hi!

Im shooting a speedboat tommorow out on Plymouth Sound, and just realised i dont have a polarised filter, and have no chance of getting hold of one ANYWHERE as its a bank holiday.

Is there anything i can hold infront of the lens (like welding glass as ND filter) to stop reflections coming off the water ?

Thankyou.
 
Lol.

You need to stop getting hung up on kit. Plenty of people can take great pics without a circular polariser, D300, etc etc.

You're acting like you can't take a decent picture without a polariser. Tbh you just can't take a decent picture and need to focus on composition and technique...

Just take your camera and try and get some decent shots.
 
Stupot_ said:
Lol.

You need to stop getting hung up on kit. Plenty of people can take great pics without a circular polariser, D300, etc etc.

You're acting like you can't take a decent picture without a polariser. Tbh you just can't take a decent picture and need to focus on composition and technique...

Just take your camera and try and get some decent shots.
Click to expand...

Mate shut up, ive improved tons lately. Im taking a picture of a speedboat doing around 20 knots in the middle of plymouth sound, if its sunny there will be reflections galore. I know exactly what a polariser is and what it is used for, and the picture is important, its almost paid work except im doing all work for free as

a. im not a pro

b. i can use them for portfolio.

c. its a friend

I will try using my avatiors, just hope they arent too dark, thankyou!
 
Mate Listen

a. Unless those speedboats are massive you're 50mm is going to be the problem rather than reflections

b. Unless those aviators cost more than the 50 they aren't going to polarise much!
 
Aviators are polarised? Most sunglasses arent and sticking them in the front of a lens is really not going to do anything for image quality.

Having shot a load of speedboats on Plymouth sound I have a couple of questions...

How big is it, a RIB, small rigid (normal type) or a racing one?
You going to be on the water too or on land tracking it?

I've done both and used polarisers on and off, you're not going to fail because you don't have one, in fact I'd suggest it will be pretty difficult to use one properly if you're not on another boat travelling parallel to it. You'll also get a couple of stops of lost light, which unless you are panning (good idea if you can), will hit you hard!

Either way it may be worth heading down to a competitor (and you could always try the other big electrical stores) tomorrow as they may well be open.

EDIT: Just as a couple of examples of what I'm talking about here are a few I shot last July.

3671931984_3d3d47bc4d_o.jpg

3671126183_a1b568f753_o.jpg

3671126709_ba2c930db9_o.jpg


All shot with a 300 f/4, without a polariser, from the rocks just under Smeatons Tower, so if you are shooting from land you're probably going to be screwed! Unless you can get them to drive right next to the shoreline, in which case it won't be 20kts as they would be set upon by the police for speeding...

Either way, especially if you get to blat around on a boat shooting (it's always fun), have fun. :)
 
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I still have the 18-70 and 70-300, and a tripod, too, im planning on setting up on the edge of breakwater (near mt batten).

Thanks for the shots, dont need a polariser then :)
 
twoblacklines said:
Mate shut up, ive improved tons lately. Im taking a picture of a speedboat doing around 20 knots in the middle of plymouth sound, if its sunny there will be reflections galore. I know exactly what a polariser is and what it is used for, and the picture is important, its almost paid work except im doing all work for free as

a. im not a pro

b. i can use them for portfolio.

c. its a friend

I will try using my avatiors, just hope they arent too dark, thankyou!
Click to expand...

I think what he meant was that if you perhaps asked a different question to the same end, you might get a better reply. For example, going into some detail about what you're looking to do, what you think you need and why, rather than 'I need x, y and z'.
 
twoblacklines said:
Mate shut up, ive improved tons lately. Im taking a picture of a speedboat doing around 20 knots in the middle of plymouth sound, if its sunny there will be reflections galore. I know exactly what a polariser is and what it is used for, and the picture is important, its almost paid work except im doing all work for free as

a. im not a pro

b. i can use them for portfolio.

c. its a friend

I will try using my avatiors, just hope they arent too dark, thankyou!
Click to expand...

Mate, if you seriously think holding a pair of sunglasses in front of a lens will improve your shots, photography isn't for you.

It certainly won't improve your 'pro cred'

client: "Are those sunglasses taped to your lens?"

you: "Yeah but it's ok, I used gaffa tape"

client: :/
 
I regularly use a cheap piece of welding glass in front of my lens, I guess photography isn't for me either.
 
Rojin said:
I regularly use a cheap piece of welding glass in front of my lens, I guess photography isn't for me either.
Click to expand...

As an ND filter. It doesn't need to be rotated, it just cuts out a lot of light light. And it's a common cheap hack for people.

A circular polariser is an expensive filter which does a specific job. It needs to be rotated, and a pair of aviators that won't even covor the front element won't be up to the job.
 
It's about improvisation, if you don't have what you need at hand, you can either not try the shot you want or try something else. No problem at all in giving something a go, even if its chance of working is low.
 
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