Simulate Circular Polarizing Filter

[psykon99]

I'm not sure if this has been shown before or not, but I found it quite useful. I've been trying to emulate the sky darkening effect of a circular polarizer for awhile (just haven't broken down and bought one yet). I've read several techniques, but I think this is the best so far. Enjoy!

http://www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php?TUTORIAL_ID=66

[wattsbw2004]

Or you could do a gradient mask going black to transparent with the black being on the sky. Set the blend mode to multiply and you just created a gradient polarizer for the sky.

[Sodaman420]

if you were using light room, you can lower the exposure, use the recovery tool, fiddle with the brightness, and then individually up the deep blue color in the developed tab. He would get that nice deep blue sky that you really want

[psykon99]

Originally Posted by wattsbw2004

Or you could do a gradient mask going black to transparent with the black being on the sky. Set the blend mode to multiply and you just created a gradient polarizer for the sky.

You know, I've always had trouble figuring out how to get the gradient mask to work properly. It just escapes me. Do you have any good online resources that might go over how to use it?

[Tiberius]

The reason that the polariser filter can't be simulated is because it removes reflections. The other two things it does - making colours more saturated and making clouds puffier - can be simulated in Photoshop. But once the reflections are in an image, it's damn near impossible to get rid of them.