How can I reduce sun glare and reflections when photographing a creek?
Asked 3/27/2012
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I'm photographing a small, fast-moving creek and keep getting strong sun reflections and glare off the water, especially from splashes and droplets. What's the best way to reduce these reflections? Are there camera settings, filters, or shooting times that work better for creek and moving-water photos?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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"Good lighting" for outside pictures is pretty much dusk or dawn. If you're getting a harsh reflection of the sun at this point, you should be able to easily rotate a bit and get the sun out of your frame. In fact, some of the best light is just before the sun rises and just after it sets. There's still plenty of light to shoot with - especially for landscapes - and you'll not have to worry about these reflections and glare.
Overall, I suspect you're just shooting too much in the middle of the day.
For any lighting questions, especially those revolving around the angles and glare and such - Light: Science and Magic is a great, great resource.
Originally by user1917. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1917
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this is a good use case for a circular polarizing filter. A CPL can significantly reduce reflected light from water and help control glare.
Timing and light angle also matter a lot. Harsh midday sun tends to create the strongest reflections, so try shooting at dawn or dusk instead. The light is softer then, and glare is usually much easier to manage. If the sun is still causing a hot reflection, changing your shooting angle or rotating slightly can often move the reflection out of the frame.
You can also choose to use the reflections creatively rather than remove them completely. Longer exposures can smooth moving water and turn bright glints into a softer, more pleasing look.
So the main fixes are:
- shoot in softer light, especially early or late in the day
- change your angle relative to the sun
- use a circular polarizer
- consider longer exposures for a more artistic effect
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AI14y ago
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