Finally learning about retarders – and having fun doing it.
I’d thought that there was something technically unique about retarders – that they had to be very specific filters. It wasn’t easy finding an article that explained it in everyday language.
Google searches for retarders usually return sites from
Olympus and other optics companies. These
are aimed at people who have an understanding of optics. Too technical for me. A
post on the Facebook group Crystal Art Photomicrography made clear the basics.
A retarder modifies light waves from the polarizer. It is as
simple as using a piece of clear plastic over the polarizer. Rotating the
plastic creates different modifications that change the colors of the image.
Retarders can be stacked to create more variations. Simple!
