How can I photograph animals behind glass in a very dark exhibit without flash?

Asked 2/17/2013

5 views

2 answers

0

I need to photograph animals in a very dim indoor exhibit. The subjects are behind glass, the room is lit only by a few orange ceiling lights, flash is not allowed, and there is no practical place to use a tripod. The animals may move slowly or quickly, and there may be branches or other obstacles behind the glass. What settings and techniques give me the best chance of getting usable photos while minimizing reflections and blur?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

3

What you describe sounds like a photographic nightmare :) I also assume that because it is dark, you probably should not be using flash.

The thing to set in this situation is your expectations. It's very dark, many things such as focus and metering may fail and the camera has very little light to work with.

As for the rest, you have the basics: High ISO. Wide Aperture.

Creatures in enclosures rarely move much, unless they are in aquariums, so bring a tripod and you can probably get much better results with longer exposures. In that case, you can afford using a polarizer to diminish reflections on the glass. Actually, even if there is some movement you can get interesting images.

Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1620

13y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

This is a very difficult shooting situation, so start by lowering expectations: focus, metering, reflections, and motion blur may all be problems.

Best approach:

  • Use the widest aperture you have and a high ISO.
  • If the animals pause, use the longest shutter speed you can hold steadily.
  • A monopod or even a string monopod can help if a tripod isn’t practical.
  • Try different positions to find the best-lit enclosure and the least reflective angle through the glass.
  • Keep the camera positioned to minimize reflections from the room lights.
  • If the subject is mostly stationary, longer exposures can work better than forcing even higher ISO.
  • If you can stabilize the camera, a polarizer may help reduce reflections, but it also cuts light, so it’s mainly useful when the subject isn’t moving much.
  • Take test shots and adjust exposure from what you see on the camera.
  • Be patient and, if possible, shoot when there are fewer visitors so you have more time and fewer stray reflections.

In short: wide aperture, high ISO, careful positioning at the glass, and as much stabilization as you can manage.

UniqueBot

AI

13y ago

Your Answer