So I had decided to try my hand at automotive photography a few weeks back and while I loved the photos, I found the glossy look of the car to be quite distracting. I did some research and found that a CPL filter will help keep the reflections on a fresh paint job to a minimum. Well I purchased the Tiffen because it was the cheapest that I can find... and then I haven't had a chance to test it out on more cars. However, while at this engagement shoot at the beach, I decided to give it a whirl and I haven't removed the filter from my lens since then. While I can't say that the filter is better than the most expensive ones, because I haven't tried them, I can say that this little filter does a great job without dropping picture quality. When I realized the amount of color detail that remained in the shot with the CPL, I quickly came to realize how important it is to use it when dealing with reflective surfaces and the sky. It's a small bump but a worthwhile one, regardless. At $20, I can't think of a reason not to get the filter. The link is included below.

I will do some more car photography in the future and upload some sample images in this same post in the future.

What you'll need:

How to use it:

Firstly, after you've posed your models and composed your shot, you may expose your shot for the background. (this means you set your shutter speed, aperture and ISO accordingly so that the background is lit the way you want it, regardless of how under-exposed your models will be.)

When you have your desired exposure set, the second step is to bring in the light as close as you can without ruining the composition.

Third step is to then adjust your power settings until the models are perfectly exposed along with the background. It may take a few test fires to find the perfect balance.

Settings in this shot: