Shooting through glass?

Snapshot1

Snapshot1

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Ryan
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So every year I go to the local zoo and I'll try to get some shots but most of the time I'm shooting through glass. Does anyone know of a good way to shoot through glass without getting a bunch of glair? I've tried a polarizer filter which helps a little but not a lot any suggestions??? -_-
 
If you can block out any light between the lens and the glass then you wouldn't be able to get any glare. Not sure how you would do that, but you'd have to be shooting against the glass so wouldn't work from a distance.

Make sure the glass is clean, could be quite grubby at a zoo
 
Get your lens as close to the glass as you can, if you use a lenshood actually touch it on the glass and shield the edges with your free hand.

Make sure you have your lens wide open or as near as possible.

Moving away from the glass gives you little or no chance of avoiding reflections.
 
I've heard rubber lens hoods are good for this situation, not sure on how widely available they are but I'm sure a far east version from fleebay would be a good start.
 
7DS have a sort of extended gasket hood for shooting through glass, I haven't tried it myself but the principle looks sound. It's probably simple enough to knock-up a DIY version.
 
There's a product called a Lenskirt, which is a suction-based large lens hood, it attaches to the glass and eliminates reflections. I've never used one, so can't say yay or nay about it.

I saved an evernote from a website a while ago about this very subject:

* Hold your camera with both hands and keep your arms in close to your body. This will help you keep the camera still for longer exposures.

* If your camera or lens has vibration compensation be sure to turn it on.

* Shoot in Aperture priority mode if using a DSLR. Make sure you have an aperture setting that will get the portion of the object you are shooting in focus. This might be an f2 if you only want an animal’s eyes in focus or an f 4 - 8 if you want the entire scene in focus. Just remember the lower the number the longer the shutter speed is going to be.

* If you are using a point and shoot camera, check to see if you can set it for a low light or museum mode in leu of choosing a low aperture number.

* Get right up to the glass, without touching it.

* Use manual focus if available and if it is not, use the focus lock on your camera to select a focus point. To do this pick a focus point and then press your shutter button half way down. This will focus the image. When the spot you want to be in focus is in focus, gently press the shutter button the rest of the way down.

* Take lots of photos. However, be mindful of other guests and don’t hog up the displays.


Hope this helps :)
 
Try some black foam to cover the gap between lens/hood and glass. Reverse of an old mouse mat would do it.
 
Thnks everyone! I think I'll Try using a larger lens hood or skirt ;) . I've got a lens good but it's not that big :( .

I wonder if a fisheye lens with a lens hood would work??? :) :pondering:
 
Snapshot1 said:
Thnks everyone! I think I'll Try using a larger lens hood or skirt ;) . I've got a lens good but it's not that big :( .

I wonder if a fisheye lens with a lens hood would work??? :) :pondering:
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Only if you want the hood in the picture...;)
 
Take the lens hood off - it will allow you to get the lens flush to the glass. And keep the lens square to glass where possible to avoid diffraction.
 
ryanyboy said:
Take the lens hood off - it will allow you to get the lens flush to the glass. And keep the lens square to glass where possible to avoid diffraction.
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No.....leave it on as everyone else has said. Press the hood up to the glass
 
boyfalldown said:
No.....leave it on as everyone else has said. Press the hood up to the glass
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No, take it off and push the lens square on to the glass.............:)
 
boyfalldown said:
No.....leave it on as everyone else has said. Press the hood up to the glass
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Petal shaped lens hoods don't sit square to the glass. Whereas the lens without hood is perfectly square and can sit flush against the glass. Common sense really.
 
ryanyboy said:
Petal shaped lens hoods don't sit square to the glass. Whereas the lens without hood is perfectly square and can sit flush against the glass. Common sense really.
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Indeed.............:)
 
ryanyboy said:
Petal shaped lens hoods don't sit square to the glass. Whereas the lens without hood is perfectly square and can sit flush against the glass. Common sense really.
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its neither common sense (do you really want to be pressing your front element against anything?) nor is the front element always anything like perfectly square. The first reply gave everything you needed to know.
 
boyfalldown said:
its neither common sense (do you really want to be pressing your front element against anything?) nor is the front element always anything like perfectly square. The first reply gave everything you needed to know.
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None of my lenses have front elements that protrude beyond the outer extremeties of the lens, so if one is careful, you can`t really let the glass connect with your front element. Suppose the 14-24 may be different, but that is hardly a zoo type lens.

Either way, a petal hood is a problem, an old fashioned rubber one would work better.
 
fracster said:
None of my lenses have front elements that protrude beyond the outer extremeties of the lens, so if one is careful, you can`t really let the glass connect with your front element. Suppose the 14-24 may be different, but that is hardly a zoo type lens.

Either way, a petal hood is a problem, an old fashioned rubber one would work better.
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I hear what you're saying, but a petal hood is better then a front element. I agree a rubber hood would be the best choice, but the point is to cut out reflections and a petal hood does that quite respectably

BTW - lens choice, surely it depends whats behind the glass, for example 24 mm (I guess not a zoo type lens either, from your logic) petal hood (ok the glass needs cleaning), but not really struggling with reflections

HM3_0118-Edit.jpg


BTW - there is no way I'd be pressing that lens straight against anything even though the front element doesn't quite protude.
 
I guess you use can either method, as long as it gets results who cares........:thumbs:


IFFUAE079.jpg
 
I never thought about a rubber hood, good point, im going to take a look myself now
 
boyfalldown said:
its neither common sense (do you really want to be pressing your front element against anything?) nor is the front element always anything like perfectly square. The first reply gave everything you needed to know.
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So I'm not allowed to offer an alternative view which mayactually work better. Ok, let's follow the herd and ignore other possibilities.
 
Other than reducing reflections with a cpl, there is no other way!
 
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ryanyboy said:
So I'm not allowed to offer an alternative view which mayactually work better. Ok, let's follow the herd and ignore other possibilities.
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of course you are, but sadly, when someone disagrees with that counter view you resort to comments of 'follow the herd' rather then come up with a well reasoned reply. Maybe you'd post a couple of examples and a sensible reply instead?
 
My original comment was sensible and based on experience. It was you who came up with "No…." retort which I find too authoritarian.
 
ryanyboy said:
My original comment was sensible and based on experience. It was you who came up with "No…." retort which I find too authoritarian.
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maybe you'd post some examples then, and a sensible argument, rather then commenting on my 'authoritarianisism' because someone happens to disagree with you :thumbs:
 
I,ve been doing a lot of zoo photography over the last couple of months and now try to avoid shooting through glass where possible and find a place in the enclosure where you can shoot through the fence and focus out the wire:)

If the glass is very thick and dirty at all it kills sharpness and contrast

If I have to go through the glass I try to get the lens as square onto the glass as possible , get directly opposite the subject and put my hand round the lens hood to stop any reflections
I use a lens hood but more for protection as I'm clumsy :D
Pete
 
Forgot to say I tried one of the cheap ebay rubber hoods but it was crap and kept falling off !
 
Most things already covered. But yes, large aperture, closer to the glass, with subject further from the glass, and so the glass is in an out of focus area and disappears...be prepared to take more than one shot, as you might not see reflections or marks on the glass which are then shown in the image. Someone mentioned using your body or a friend to block bright light reflecting...that helps too.

But my 6 year old can do it with a 18-55mm kit lens on her 400d...it's not too difficult:


Otter at Scarborough Sealife by Tiny Togger, on Flickr

As can I (same camera actually)


Snow Leopard by http://bendthelight.me.uk, on Flickr
 
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IMG_9731.jpg


IMG_6691-1.jpg


Some of mine all taken through glass :)
 
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