It LOOKS better, when I photograph it anyway. I was just getting some photos of finished pottery ready to post here and I noticed the difference that my circular polarizer made when I was shooting photos. Take a look at the three unedited images to the right.

Which image do you like best?

If your favorite is not the top image then you have the same thought as I do: the circular polarizer makes the mugs look better. It accomplishes this by cutting down some of the reflection on the glossy glaze. The bottom two images are shots with the circular polarizer turned in two different directions. Both are a drastic improvement over the non polarized image in my opinion.

I’ve always noticed that there is a reflection from light bouncing up off the backdrop. It’s not a big deal for some pieces. But the reflection can really wash out the colors of other pieces. I’ve even used a circular polarizing filter before. But I guess it was just too much trouble to dig out the circular polarizer and the lens that it fits until now. Now I’ve got the lens with the polarizing filter down by my photo booth permanently since I don’t use it for much else.

You can find circular polarizing filters at any camera shop or online at places like amazon.com. Just make sure you get the right size to fit your lens (measured in mm)