How can I photograph animals in dim glass enclosures through another glass panel?
Asked 2/18/2013
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2 answers
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I need to photograph small animals that are inside shaded glass boxes, viewed from a brighter public room through an outer glass panel. There are multiple layers of glass, the animals may move slowly, and I can’t use a large tripod (a small tripod is allowed).
What camera/lens technique would help with exposure, composition, and reducing reflections in this kind of setup?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
1
Apparently you have plenty of light for good exposures, but from your diagram it may be trickier to find a good composition without a tele lens. So you may be restricted in how large an aperture you will be able to use and, therefore, may need to rely on higher ISOs.
I'd also look out for reflections in the many glasses on the way, and a polarizer may not be able to remove all of them since the lights are different and from various directions.
If you can get close enough to the first window (the yellow one above) you may try using a circular (not petal shaped) lens hood and place the hood directly over the window surface in order to at least not get reflections from the first window.
Originally by user46. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user46
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The main challenges are reflections from multiple glass surfaces and getting enough light while keeping a usable shutter speed.
A few practical tips:
- Get as close to the outer glass as possible to reduce reflections.
- If your lens allows it, use a circular lens hood and press it gently against the glass to block reflections from that first pane.
- Watch your composition carefully: depending on distance, a telephoto lens may help frame the animal better through the enclosure.
- Because the subject is in a shaded box, you may not be able to use a very small aperture. If you need a faster shutter speed for subject movement, be prepared to raise ISO.
- A polarizer may help somewhat, but with multiple panes of glass and light coming from different directions, it likely won’t remove all reflections.
- If allowed, a small tripod can help when the animal is still, but movement may still require faster shutter speeds.
In short: prioritize reflection control, use the longest practical lens for composition, and balance aperture/shutter speed with higher ISO as needed.
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