How wearing sunglasses can help your photography
by Chris Nicholson

A key to good landscape photography is knowing when to use a polarizing filter. If water, foliage or sky is in your shot — and at least one of them often will be — then your color can almost definitely be improved by using a polarizer.

But sometimes predicting the exact results of a polarizing filter can be tricky, and the only way to do so is to put it on a lens and have a look. However, if your filters are in the bottom of your bag under thirty pounds of camera gear or in the car a hundred yards from where you're shooting (shame on your for leaving them there), then you may lose your inspiration to try the filter, especially since you know it may not deliver enough of the effect you're hoping for.

To avoid that temptation, wear polarized sunglasses when you're shooting outdoors. A good pair will approximate the effect of a polarizing filter. Also, when wearing the sunglasses, if you tilt your head to the left or right you will increase or decrease the polarizing effect, and you'll see changes in the sky, on leaves and on the surface of water — just like when you rotate a polarizing filter. If you don't like the effect you see through the sunglasses, you can feel comfortable moving to a different angle or location. And if you do like the effect, you'll feel more inspired to rummage through your gear to find your filters.

I use Native Eyewear's F2 sunglasses with polarizing lenses, but many other companies make polarizing sunglasses, too. Use neutral lenses, though; any sunglasses that also warm the scene will change the color much more than your good warming filters will.

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