Taking photos through glass
Oct 12, 2015 14:58:51 #
I have been invited to an event high above the city and want to photograph the sunset. One issue is the Windows do not open. Any advice on the correct settings would be greatly appreciated.
Oct 12, 2015 15:22:57 #
Polarizing filter to limit the window reflecting the inside.
Kill all sources of light inside to limit the reflections in the first place.
If you can use a black cone flush with the window...
More important than anything... After praying the the outside surface of the window is clean, clean the inside with a iron wool (if someone had the bright idea of covering the glass with a plastic film this will not work).
Kill all sources of light inside to limit the reflections in the first place.
If you can use a black cone flush with the window...
More important than anything... After praying the the outside surface of the window is clean, clean the inside with a iron wool (if someone had the bright idea of covering the glass with a plastic film this will not work).
Oct 12, 2015 21:46:44 #
ccook2004 wrote:
I have been invited to an event high above the city and want to photograph the sunset. One issue is the Windows do not open. Any advice on the correct settings would be greatly appreciated.
in winter i shoot thru a storm door at the snow, i use regular settings i shoot between 3:00pm and 5:00pm in the evening
Oct 13, 2015 05:45:08 #
Use a UV or ND filter and place the lens right on the glass, this will eliminate glare from being at a distance.
Oct 13, 2015 06:17:47 #
If possible get the camera lens as near to the glass as possible, even on it if you can, this stops reflections of objects in the room.
A few weeks ago I was up the Skylon Tower in Niagara and took quite a few photos through the window and they all turned out very well.
I think that the glass was at an angle so there were no internal reflections.
Your real problem will be the any lighting your side of the glass which can be minimised by getting the lens near the glass.
A few weeks ago I was up the Skylon Tower in Niagara and took quite a few photos through the window and they all turned out very well.
I think that the glass was at an angle so there were no internal reflections.
Your real problem will be the any lighting your side of the glass which can be minimised by getting the lens near the glass.
Oct 13, 2015 09:09:35 #
ccook2004 wrote:
I have been invited to an event high above the city and want to photograph the sunset. One issue is the Windows do not open. Any advice on the correct settings would be greatly appreciated.
Use a wide, rubber lens hood placed flat against the glass, shutting out reflections from any interior lighting.
You can twist slightly to angle the camera when composing the view.
Oct 13, 2015 09:26:25 #
Zaydewise
Loc: Nashville TN
My wife made me a hood for taking photos through windows. She got some heavy material from a fabric store. She then cut a hole in the middle for the lens to go through and placed suction cups at the 4 corners of the mat. Works great because there is no reflection due to the hood.
Oct 13, 2015 10:28:16 #
Reflextion is the problem. Turn off the lights and you have no reflextion or if you have a longer lens (Not a wide angle because the focus on it is too great) you can focus on a distant object and it should remove the window distraction.
Oct 13, 2015 11:20:34 #
Many windows have a film on them to prevent IR & UV transmission. I would never use steel wool on a window, especially if it is not mine. You should have a lens cleaning cloth and liquid - use them.
Oct 13, 2015 11:28:34 #
If you are shooting at near 90 degrees, the polarizing filter will not have any effect. It works best at an angle to the non-metallic surface (32 degrees for water, 37 degrees for glass). If you can't have the whole room go dark, work the angles to removed light source reflections in the room, or block them. Also close to the window, rubber hood, etc. Open the aperture to reduce problems like dirt or scratches on the window and look for the best location on the window.
Oct 13, 2015 11:30:13 #
amfoto1
Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
The quality of the glass you are shooting through will effect your images.
If you can get right up to the window, use a rubber lens hood and press it tight up against the glass.
If you cannot get close enough to the window to do that, use a polarizing filter. This doesn't work as well as the rubber lens hood, but might be the best you can do.
Either of the above are to reduce reflections on the inside surface of the glass. Turning off internal lighting might help, too... or it might not.
A UV or ND filter will do no good what-so-ever.
If you can clean the inside surface of the glass, do so.
"Correct settings" will be whatever the light conditions allow. Shooting directly into the setting sun, your camera likely will want to underexpose quite a bit, so you should override it with some + Exposure Compensation (assuming you are using an auto exposure mode). I'd do some bracketing with Exposure Compensation, such as: +2/3, +1-1/3 and +1-2/3 stop.
If you can get right up to the window, use a rubber lens hood and press it tight up against the glass.
If you cannot get close enough to the window to do that, use a polarizing filter. This doesn't work as well as the rubber lens hood, but might be the best you can do.
Either of the above are to reduce reflections on the inside surface of the glass. Turning off internal lighting might help, too... or it might not.
A UV or ND filter will do no good what-so-ever.
If you can clean the inside surface of the glass, do so.
"Correct settings" will be whatever the light conditions allow. Shooting directly into the setting sun, your camera likely will want to underexpose quite a bit, so you should override it with some + Exposure Compensation (assuming you are using an auto exposure mode). I'd do some bracketing with Exposure Compensation, such as: +2/3, +1-1/3 and +1-2/3 stop.
Oct 13, 2015 11:35:06 #
The polarizer will knock your camera about 1 or 2 f/ stops. The putting the camera to the window will also work. I took a toilet plunger (a new one ha ha) and cot off the stick side and supper glued a screw holder to the end. This lets me change the angle of the camera to the glass. I use it at aqueraums.
Oct 13, 2015 12:23:35 #
Why do people keep saying use a polarizing filter? It wont stop reflections that are near 90 degrees! Check the physics and engineering, the get the filter and see if reality matches physics and engineering. The polarizing filter will cut down on reflected light and also the transmitted light the same, so you gain nothing!
Oct 13, 2015 16:51:43 #
Rongnongno wrote:
Polarizing filter to limit the window reflecting the inside.
Kill all sources of light inside to limit the reflections in the first place.
If you can use a black cone flush with the window...
More important than anything... After praying the the outside surface of the window is clean, clean the inside with a iron wool (if someone had the bright idea of covering the glass with a plastic film this will not work).
Kill all sources of light inside to limit the reflections in the first place.
If you can use a black cone flush with the window...
More important than anything... After praying the the outside surface of the window is clean, clean the inside with a iron wool (if someone had the bright idea of covering the glass with a plastic film this will not work).
:thumbup:
Funny but I always thought most lenses were made with glass to let the light in. LoL
Oct 13, 2015 17:23:32 #
I shoot birds at my feeders a lot thru the double pane windows. Unless you are stopped down considerably, any smudges on the windows will not have much of an effect on the resultant image, if any. The idea of using a rubber lens hood is a good one as you will want your lens against the glass in order to negate any reflections from internal light sources. The image I'm attaching was done thru a double pane window that was not cleaned.
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