same settings and similar equipment but different photo

[Sean Setters]

Certainly; the background is indeed under exposed by about a stop or a little more (which intensifies the effect). However, the setup shot and the portrait were taken with the same exposure settings: f/3.5, 1/160 sec, ISO 100. That said, I did add a very small amount of brightness in PS, but not very much. The color variation in the sky between the two images is largely a result of the angle of the sun at which they were shot.

But I use a polarizer quite a bit, and what I'm saying is still accurate as far a I'm concerned--the amount of polarization achievable varies due to several circumstances; just because a person isn't seeing the same results on a given attempt, it doesn't mean that someone else's images must have been heavily post processed.

My advice concerning buying a pair of polarized sunglasses is honestly the best way to figure out when and where the best opportunities for maximum polarization can be found. If I'm wanting to use a polarizer, I'll go to a location on a bright, sunny day (cloudless days work best), and wearing my sunglasses I'll tilt my head in both directions. Then I'll repeat the process looking in different directions (at least those with acceptable background opportunities). The behavior may look strange to onlookers, but it's been invaluable when planning and executing one of these shoots.