Shutter Release: Polarizing filter in action, aerial composition with drones, used tripods and more

We hope that all our American readers had a nice Independence Day yesterday and were able to relax and possibly capture some nice fireworks photos! For today's edition of Shutter Release, we have a variety of very interesting videos to share with you, as well as pointing you toward some nice savings on high-end tripods. As always, today's Shutter Release is a curated culmination of photo info from around the web. After all, there is a lot of great content out there and it isn't always easy to see it all, so we're here to help by delivering bite-sized sections about the content we've seen and think you'll enjoy.

The magic of a polarizer shown off in real time - PetaPixel

While many filter effects can be replicated in Photoshop and other photo editors, a polarizing filter remains a must-have for many types of photography, landscape photography in particular. We've all seen bright blue skies in photos and while that is one effect of a polarizer that can be recreated when editing, the filter's ability to reduce reflections is something that is very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve using software. For this reason alone, you simply must have a polarizer in your bag. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a functional polarizing filter either. Check out the video below from Christopher Frost to see the effects of a polarizing filter in real-time.

Aerial composition with drones - ISO 1200

Tavis Leaf Glover flew a DJI Mavic Pro in Hawaii and captured stunning footage. Besides showing off awesome scenery, the video also has hepful technical information and Glover breaks down how he composes footage.

Get great deals on high-end tripods by buying used - The Digital Picture

Gitzo and Really Right Stuff tripods are well-regarded for their durability and performance. However, with great quality comes a high price. You can save money, in some cases hundreds of dollars, by purchasing used or open-box tripods from B&H. You can see a list of used tripod listings picked out by The Digital Picture here. Having owned tripods from both Gitzo and Really Right Stuff, the quality is incredible and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used one to save money as they are very rugged products.

Photographer Pye Jirsa on different ways to light and shoot a single scene - Light Stalking

Photographer Pye Jirsa is not only a very talented photographer, but he also produces a lot of great educational content with SLR Lounge. In the video below, Jirsa demonstrates his teaching chops but as Light Stalking points out, near the end of the video he also discusses the importance of education and why photographers need to be willing to share their knowledge with others. It's a great message and serves as a nice way to finish the video.

A beginner's guide to astrophotography - Fstoppers

Mango Street has a new video which gives a good overview of astrophotography for beginners. Give it a watch if you want to try your hand at night sky photography.