Shooting through windows

[kbark]

Hi all,

I had a quick newbie question! When you're shooting through windows and can't avoid it (for example: helicopters, etc.), you obviously don't want glare or reflections of things on your side of the window in the photo. What is the best way to cut down on those things? Thank you so much!!

 

[KmH]

You can try using a Circular PoLarizing (CPL) filter, but it's like shooting pool, and mostly about the angles.

 

[kbark]

Thank you very much for your help! I will try that.

 

[Derrel]

Use a rubber lens hood on the lens, and press it right up against the glass!!!

 

[kbark]

Sweet, I'll try that too! Thanks!

 

[Railphotog]

"Glass" in aircraft and helicopters isn't actually glass, and is often tinted. Holding against the window especially in a helicopter can introduce vibrations that can cause problems when shooting. If the helicopter has openings that you can shoot out of, it is always better - no tint, no scratches, no reflectons, etc. I shot photos from helicopters for 35 years with the Canadian Coast Guard.

 

[bratkinson]

Last summer, on vacation, I took a cross country trip on Amtrak and took lots and lots of pictures through the windows.

For the most part, auto white balance (AWB) and auto everything else (DSLR rookie at the time) gave reasonably accurate colors with little color shift through the lexan windows on the train. Surprisingly smart AWB, given I had a used Canon 30D at the time. Most of the pictures needed very little post processing in terms of colors.

As an experiment, I put on a top of the line Hoya HD CPL filter and wound up with really screwy color shifts, typically upper right and lower left of the frame. I must have rotated it 15-20 times to different positions all with similar results. I suspect that being non-parallel to the plane of the window (and 5-6" away from it) to eliminate seeing my own reflection probably caused the oddball colors I was getting.

HOWEVER...as I was shooting with an EF-S 18-135 lens and my CPL knowledge was near zero at the time, lens and filter rotation while zooming probably made accurate use of the CPL filter quite unpredictable. I'll be on the train again in about a month, this time with my 24-105L, which doesn't rotate while zooming. I'll give the CPL + lexan windows another try.

 

[TheBiles]

A lot of windows have tinting that interferes with circular polarizers, especially aircraft and cars. Don't automatically assume that it will be a magical fix for every window in every situation. I think you best bet will be getting as close as you can to the glass with a hood on the lens.

 

[sovietdoc]

Use a rubber lens hood on the lens, and press it right up against the glass!!!

I didn't know they had those

 

[joshhuntnm]

Sometimes you can make the reflection work with the shot.

 

[teribithia]

I also have this problem, I try to change the view but the image I want to shoot exit too.

 

[Derrel]

Use a rubber lens hood on the lens, and press it right up against the glass!!!

I didn't know they had those

You're kidding, right??? Soft, flexible rubber lens hoods used to be a very popular item. Many camera stores have a "junk box" filled with these kind of hoods. I have ones designed for the Olympus 28mm f/2.8, various 35mm lenses, 50mm lenses, 85, 105, and 300, as well as one of my favorites, the Mamiya 360mm lens's 77mm screw-in, soft rubber hood for use on 70-200 lenses mounted on crop-frame cameras. Many of the smaller rubber lens hoods collapse, and allow the lens hood to be popped right on the front.

Here is the link to an ePinions page that has 82 different collapsible rubber lens hoods. "rainbow-58mm-3-staged-collapsible-rubber-lens-hood", Adorama Photography Accessories Product Reviews and Prices - Epinions.com

 

[sapper6fd]

"Glass" in aircraft and helicopters isn't actually glass, and is often tinted. Holding against the window especially in a helicopter can introduce vibrations that can cause problems when shooting. If the helicopter has openings that you can shoot out of, it is always better - no tint, no scratches, no reflectons, etc. I shot photos from helicopters for 35 years with the Canadian Coast Guard.

If I could like on my iPhone I would. The windows is most aircraft - if not glass, they are made out of Lexan plastic (same plastic head light covers on all vehicles are made out of). They are usually treated to reduce glare as glare is extremely bad for pilots (I am a licensed pilot myself). When I fly and take photos it's all about the angle. If I get any sort of glare I turn the aircraft into a position which gives me the best composition while reducing glare. The same applies for regular glass windows on the ground.

Railphotog - I have no helicopter time other than being in the military - but I haven't found any fixed wing aircraft with tinted windows. So my experience differs greatly from yours.

Cheers,

Sapper.