How can I avoid reflection?

Question

I'm trying to find a trick to avoid reflection/glare when taking a picture of a shop window...

Answer 1

I used to do pictures of windows on a regular basis... things I had done myself or ones that I found to be clever, funny, unusual or (here's the big clue) well lit. Once you scope out what you want to see in your final picture, be it the whole window or something within the overall design, come back in the evening and bring a tripod if you can. No flash here, and you have to spend some time checking different angles to see what is reflected in the glass and more important, what ISN'T reflected. Try shooting up from a low angle or down from a high angle (maybe standing on a box or chair) not just at eye level. The tripod along with a fast film or digital equivalent of 400 ASA or higher will give you some nice theatrical lighting effects and a crisp image. Take several shots without moving your position but with slightly longer and/or shorter timed exposures. Good luck.

Answer 2

See the 3rd and 4th answers above. When buying a polarizer, make sure you you know whether you need a linear or circular polariser. This is dictated by the imaging medium you use and whether or not you have certain types of autofocus. The results can be very pleasing in colour enrichment (you vary the effect by rotating the filter) and being able to see below the surface of glare on water. Note, they don't work on metal surfaces.
The other think is, where the light source is too short to see the effects of a polariser, namely flash, then try to diffuse the flash by using an off camera flash and a diffuser attachment where the light is angled up to a white card, usually and bounced onto your subject at a much wider angle. This avoids harsh shadows as well. Often plastic diffusers are made to clip over the front of your flash. I use studio flash shot through wide fabric reflectors and my hammerhead flahes are a tad different to the little flashes on the front of most of todays 35mm cameras. A lot of people think this is all there is.
Common sense is the byword here mostly, and experimentation.
Happy shooting.

Answer 3

Think of photographing reflections as if you were playing pool. When you hit the ball against the side of the pool table, it bounces off at an equal angle. Does that make sense?

It's the same for reflections. If you want something in the window, mirror, body of water, etc. You need to position yourself so that the angle of your camera to the window is equal to the angle of the subject to the window. It sounds more complicated than it is.

Once you are aware of this, you can figure out where you need to stand to avoid a reflection or show a reflection. It's really about simple geometry.

Answer 4

Take the picture from a certain angle where both the camera and yourself do not show up in the actual reflection. Even moving slightly to the left or the right will see to it that you do not appear in the reflection.
otherwise - if you have the money to spend, you could take the photo from the front of the window and directly facing it and then put the photo onto your pc and edit it with the software programme, 'Photoshop' which will diminish any traces or you, glares or any other unwanted reflections/effects in the shop window.
Good luck with all!

Answer 5

Take it from an angle. Take a picture of the reflection in a big mirror (my preference). Photo shop your self and everything you don't want out of the picture.

Answer 6

You can buy a polarising filter, this only lets light into the camera that is direct cutting out reflections. It also helps to enrich colours making blue skies bluer etc. Ask a jessops shop for info on what is available for your camera

Answer 7

Try using a polarising filter. Same applies to reflections on water surfaces. You will need to be using an SLR as the filter needs to be rotated to eliminate the offending reflection.

Answer 8

If you can afford to, get right up close to the window, as in, put the camera on the window itself. Also, chose the time of day carefully, see where the sun is.

Answer 9

Don't think about things too much. Oh, wrong reflection.

Answer 10

Become a vampire