Glare from Glass

[Comanche]

Okay - this could be another thread about using circular polarizers, but I hope there is more to an answer than CPs.

I have been shooting a series in a nursing home. The lobby is a place where many of the residents sit and watch the world go by, so that is a place I need to shoot. The problem is that the front of the lobby is all glass. In the interior of the lobby has a lot of glass too - bird cage, doors to offices, etc.) and whenever I shoot in the lobby, I get very bad reflections off the interior glass.

So - I broke out the CP. Yes, I know how to use a CP (and have been following the other ongoing thread on the use of CPs), and under most circumstances, a CP does just fine.

But, as you can see, the CP didn't really make a dent in the reflections. The most I could achieve was to get rid of some reflections on the floor. This shot was posted without any PP except for resizing.



I ran into this problem once before - inside a room in a hospital with tile walls - the reflections were terrible.

I am open to ideas. I do not want to pass up shooting from this vantage point, nor do I want to go in really tight because in most cases, the environment around the subject is part of the story I want to tell. Any ideas for PP?

Canon 30D, EF-S 10-22 at 16mm, 1/30 second, f 11, ISO 800, center weighted metering, B+W CP

[CaptainTom]

What are you using as a light source?
If you are bouncing a flash, think about getting a polarizing gel for it.
Combine the polarized light with your polarizing filter and you can nearly eliminate reflections. It does cause other problems, but there is no simple answer to this dilemma.

[zepp]

Originally Posted by Comanche

But, as you can see, the CP didn't really make a dent in the reflections.

That's just it. A polarizer will not effectively put a dent in or eliminate DIRECT REFLECTION. A polarizer eliminates glare. You will have to do as Tom says and put a polarizing filter over the light source turning the direct reflection into glare which can be managed by a polarizer on the camera lens.

In your case a lot of your light source seems to be coming from the the ambient outdoor light. Your best option might just be to keep on the move to find the least amount or reflected light on your subject.

We have all been there. Good luck.

[zepp]

One other trick you can try is to shoot with a longer focal length lens effectively reducing the angle of the light hitting the reflective surfaces.

[Comanche]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

What are you using as a light source?
If you are bouncing a flash, think about getting a polarizing gel for it.

The only light source is the ambient light coming in through the large front windows.

Frank - you have an idea I'll try. Thus far, I have been using either a 17-40 or a 10-22, except for this one shot I took the other day. No - I don't normally shoot a long lens in a small room, but all I had was my 120-300 on my 30D, so I took this.



Most of the time, I want a wide angle to get the environment, such as a walker or wheelchair or nurse's aide, into the shot - it tells part of the story. But maybe there is a middle ground I could find. Thanx for the tip.

I also may try these shots at night and see what happens.

Anybody have any ideas for post processing?

[zepp]

If the subjects don't mind, you can try shooting with your wider glass positioning their faces or upper bodies up close and in the forefront of the picture and their environment in the background a bit out of focus.

[amadjuster]

I googled this and the most common suggestion was to get coated glasses! I'll bet that wasn't in the budget. I don't think there is a simple solution to this unless you change to a different time of day when the light is stronger elsewhere. Of course that will totally eliminate what you were trying to get. I'm a big help.

[Comanche]

Originally Posted by zepp

If the subjects don't mind, you can try shooting with your wider glass positioning their faces or upper bodies up close and in the forefront of the picture and their environment in the background a bit out of focus.

Yep - you got the idea, Frank - and that's what I will try to do with your idea of a slightly longer lens - say a 50.

This is what I want to capture -



but, I can't, so in the idea you gave me, think of this shot cropped with the man in the wheel chair cropped out. Not the best shot I want, but better than all the reflections.

Thanx for ideas, folks!

[Bill]

Close the door in the middle of the first picture, just for a minute.

Place a tall plant or a couple of hanging plants in front of that long vertical window.

You might try some dulling spray, too.

Could also place some dark seamless or cloth out of the frame to block just the incoming reflected light.

Bill

[venchka]

The B&W photo is the strongest in my opinion. Correction. The B&W portrait is powerful. Try to capture a few more like that.

Try bumping ISO and no flash?

[Comanche]

Thanx for the kudos, Wayne. Coming from someone who shoots some fantastic B&W as you, I appreciate the compliment.

Most of the shots I take of Alzheimer's victims I do in B&W simply because it helps to convey the cruelty of the disease. To be honest, the color shots above were just a quick resize, then posted to demonstrate the problem of the glare from that one place. However, there are some instances where I use color, and that is when I see happier moments - moments of kindness from the staff, or birthday parties. Color seems to fit the mood better on those occasions.

I seldom use flash if I can avoid it - these were taken at ISO 800 so I could shoot with a small aperture for a deeper DoF, and light is not a problem in this part of the building. If I am in one of the resident's rooms, I like the window light for a stronger effect.



I guess the bottom line is that really is nothing I can do to eliminate the glare while shooting in this area of the nursing home. Sometimes I might be in an area where there are fewer reflections, but otherwise, I will have to go tight on the subject - like the old farmer above.

Thanx for the feedback, everyone. As always, I learned.

[mewfish]

I really love the B&W ones. I think for some reason it takes the "hospital" feel out of it and makes you see them with a lot more personality.

Just my opinion : ) If it were me (and I'm not too experienced but this is what I use when I shoot indoor aquariums and stuff) I'd try and shoot without flash as well and bump up the iso.

[josphy]

The B&W shot w/ the long lens is more powerful I think because it focuses on the person and not all the clutter due to the much shallower depth of field.

[iCe]

Any chance you could use a diffuser between the subject and the light source?

[bfphoto]

I'm not sure this is appropriate in your case, but back in the days when I shot weddings, we would remove the lens from the glasses frame when shooting the bride or groom. Sometimes we had extra frames without the lens that they could use. Just a thought.