Do I need a polarizing filter?

Doing a photo shoot outdoors and it will be done close to noon. I know it's a terrible time to take photos and I worried about colors washing out as well as bad glares and reflections. Thinking about using a polarizing filter to help with it. Am I on target or try to spend more time adjusting with posing and in camera settings?

I will be shooting people and not landscapes, but I was concerned more with a washed out sky or background from the high sun.

Get a polarizer, just make sure you point it in the right direction. (about 90° from the sun) Have fun! Good luck!

A polarizer will definatly help. I prefer the circular polarizer that way you can spin it to the appropriate position.

I thought the polarized filter was for on/near water?

Why not just the standard UV filter?

Well... a polarized filter is good for anything that gives off a reflection (not just water). Any glass, windows, snow... anything really. The polarizer also tends to saturate skys and really tends to add to the photo (in my opinion).

A UV filter just blocks out UV light and reduces haziness (and provides protection for your lens). There are a lot of arguments around the use of a $50 UV filter on the front of a $1000 lens and the fact that the filter degrades image quality. I personally use a UV filter when I'm shooting any sports to put an extra barrier between my lens and whatever could hit my lens. However in the studio or when I'm doing portraits and product work and there is less chance for something to break my lens I take the UV filter off.

This might explain things a little better: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_filter

uv filters IMO don't do anything but protect your lens. I have a polarizing filter on my 17-40 and its on there 99% of the time since most of my shots are outdoor. It does a great job saturating the skys and acting as an ND filter when i want slow shutter speeds during the day. only 1 or 2 stops though.

i have UV filters on my other 2 lenses just as insurance.