How to use polarizer?

I bought a Hoya polarizer yesterday and tried it out.

But the results did not come out as I had hoped. I am sure this is because I don't know how to use the filter.

When the filter is mounted and I look through the viewfinder and turn the filter I can see the sky chances but I was not able to see that the end result would be "off" like in this shot.

The moving part of the filter have a white marking on it. Is that used to turn the filter to a certain position or is there nothing else to do than look through the viewfinder, turn and pray?

1D MKIIN, 16-35 f/2.8L @ 27 mm, f/8, 1/100s, ISO 100
Click for a larger version.

IMAGE LINK: http://photo.klein-jensen.dk …c/060701_circpo​l1_big.jpg

The white line is to be turned toward the sun. The lower the angle the more effect the cp will have.

Ok so if I have the sun on my left I turn the filter toward the left? I had a hunch it was something like that but there where no instructions included with the filter.

What if the sun is behind me? Should it then point straight up?

You know you would think for something as a cp they would include some instructions on how to use it. enough people ask questions about them but I didn't know about that white mark on it. I just normaly turn it untill I get what I like thru the view finder. When I got mine I couldn't figure it out. It wasn't until I got some sunglasses that were polarized did I start to understand.

However I think the standard answer to the question about what do to with it when the sun is behind is you don't need one. cp work best when they are 90degress to the sun.

anyway I thought mods knew everything

Thanks but no apparently knowledge is not a requirement to become a mod

In theory you would put the line straight up when the sun is directly behind you but the CP won't do much more than cut down on available light. As long as there is enough light I usually just leave the CP on rather than remove it every other shot.

Skip thats basically what I did about 75% of the time when we were out your way recently. Most of the time I adjusted it by what was displayed via the Viewfinder.

I use the mark for the gross positioning then fine tune it through the lens. It is relative easy to use with a wide angle lens/hood combo but is a lot more difficult with a deep hood. Never happen with the really big boys like a 300mm. Like I need to worry about that

There are a couple of tutorials on polarizers at Luminous Landscape and dpfwiw. I particularly like the latter because it goes into some detail as to how to turn the polarizer to get the intended effect without even looking through the viewfinder.

I read and then re-read the luminous landscape one with out understanding it that well. but then I learn differently than others and what I read I may no understand.

However just understanding the white mark on mine is going to help.