There are lot of occasions we will be shooting through transparent glasses. Especially scenes from inside a car or airplane, aquariums, merchandise on display, exhibits in a museum, artifacts and lot more. If we are not careful, we may end up with disastrous pictures.
Inside a display case
The following few tips can help you to get the shoots right when you shoot through the glass,
- Use manual focus to get the subject behind the glass sharp. Some autofocus cameras may not get your subject sharp when it is behind the glass.
- Clean the surface of the glass if possible to get the subject clear. Dirt is a major enemy for shots through the glass.
Inside a flight
- Shoot from near the glass to make the dirt/scratches go out of focus. This also could take the reflections outside the frame
- Use Polarising filter to remove unwanted reflections of the surrounding on the glass. Rotate the glass element of the filter till you see the reflection going off.
Shot from a Giant wheel cubicle
- Do not use direct on camera flashes while shooting parallel to the glass surface. Stay little diagonal to use a bounce flash light from the ceiling or walls.
- Avoid back light as it unnecessarily reveals all the dirt/scratch on the glass
Shot from inside a car
- Check for proper exposure as there may be drastic difference in brightness in the scene. Play with exposure bracketing to settle for something you want.
- You could try HDR imaging technic for high contrast subjects
Shot from a moving car
- Use the best of white balance control to shoot subjects inside glass cases lit with different kinds of display lights.
- Include the frame or the edge of the glass using wide angle lenses to establish the glass if you want to show that you are shooting through it.
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