Cross Polarized Macro Set-Up

Here's my set-up for the cross polarized images. You may not be able to see the geared macro slide the camera and flash bracket are mounted on. It enables me to move the camera forward and back as well as side to side for fine tuning the image. Notice the polarized filters over the lens, flashes and the on camera flash. Also using a three handled Bogen tripod head. I find it to be much safer than using a ball head.

The next post will have an image from this very tree fern from my backyard.

Hibiscus Cross Polarized

Remembering years ago a technique for macro photography called cross polarization I went to the garage and made some custom polarizer gels for my SB-800 flashes. By the time I was done it was dark but that didn't matter, I was bringing my own light.

The advantage of cross polarizing (which is having polarizing gels in front of the strobes and a polarizing filter on the camera lens. You then get in front of a large mirror so you can see the strobes through the viewfinder, then turning the polarizing filter on the lens until the gels and the filter look black) is you eliminate reflected light from the strobes. Instead of getting washed out highlights I get deeply saturated colors. I'll post an image from my iPhone when I set the system up again.