Polarising Filters (CPL) in connection with photographing motor cars.

November 28th, 2022
I will visit Bangkok Expo Motor Show in the next couple of weeks. I have not been to a motor show post covid, so a little out of touch.

Having searched the internet, I am seeing YouTube videos and other articles, which unfortunately, are giving mixed messages. Some say a CPL filter is useful to reduce the amount of reflections from cars on display; however other videos/articles suggest that they have limited or no effect on reflections from metal surfaces. Certainly, in motor shows/exhibitions reflections from lights mounted on the ceiling of the building do present issues.

Has anyone had any experience of using one or 'not using one' at a motor show?

Thanks


John
November 28th, 2022
I used to have a polarization filter on my SLR camera and it worked great on glass reflections. I only use my phone for photography these days and I have also a nice polarization conversion lens but I only used it for testing a few time. Most of the time I don't bring it along. I missed the lens a few times for my car 'ccar' collection shots though. I have good experiences using the lens.
It's definitely worth using a filter if you take many photo's of cars, motors, though windows or water. Of course it won't take all the reflections away, which would make your photo a bit fake anyway. And by rotating the filter you can determine the amount of reflection.
November 28th, 2022
@mastermek

Thanks
November 30th, 2022
Take the filter. In a few test shots take two pictures of the same subject from the exact same spot, both with and without the filter, and view the results. This will tell you if you need it.

The need for the filter will depend on the lighting at the show. If it's indoors the organizers may have the lighting just right (the bigger the show the more likely this will happen). If it's outdoors, it's all weather dependent.

Regarding the online advice about limited effect on reflections from metal. Uh, yeah, it doesn't turn the camera's subject into a vampire and remove reflections. What a polarizer does is remove GLARE. I take plenty of photos at airshows with bright, shiny planes flashing (literally and figuratively) across the sky. I always use my polarizer to reduce/eliminate the reflection glare from the aircraft.
December 1st, 2022



This is a photograph I took in 2016. It is copied and pasted from my Facebook page. The reflections of the car body is what I am hoping a polarising filter will reduce or eliminate.
December 1st, 2022
A CPL will definitely reduce those reflections but likely won't completely eliminate them.
December 10th, 2022
I took the best photos of my life when I was in Glasgow. Then we flew with my husband to relax and see this country. We rented a car at the airport and went to see the scenery and take pictures.
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