Getting rid of reflections in shop windows

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I'm trying to photograph colourful displays in high street shop windows for a project. However the reflections in the glass are ruining it and I'm wondering if anybody can give me advice on how to eliminate or reduce them?

I've tried a circular polariser with no effect: I think its because I'm trying to photograph the windows straight-on (or I'm using the cpl wrong?). Working at night would help i guess but its not really an option in this area.
 
The circular polariser should absolutely have at least some effect on the reflections.
I don't mean to ask a stupid question but we all make daft mistakes sometimes - you have tried rotating the polariser, yes?
 
I did rotate the polariser. Thanks for checking though :)

Got home and tried the polariser on the fish tank to check that it works. It does seem to have some effect on reflections, but I wonder whether the reflections were just too much for my cpl to contend with. Time for a different project, and maybe also a better cpl.
 
You might be able to eliminate the reflections if you shoot with a tilt-shift lens.
 
You will not be able to eliminate all reflections, either with a polariser or shift lens - they'll be coming from too wide a range of angles. A polarising filter will cut out reflections almost 100%, but only at Brewster's Angle - roughly 40 degrees to the surface (with correct rotation). A shift lens basically swaps one reflection for another, so it can be used for example, to remove the photographer's reflection from a mirror if you're square to it, but then it picks up the reflection of something else.

The best way is not to have any reflections in the first place. But the only way that can happen is if the interior lighting is significantly brighter than outside, ie at night most likely, with no bright street lights.
 
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Try putting the camera lens against the glass without a petal shape hood on the lens. I read somewhere recently that this will eliminate most of the reflections.
 
Try putting the camera lens against the glass without a petal shape hood on the lens. I read somewhere recently that this will eliminate most of the reflections.

Sure will, although if you get a rubber lens hood that will press against the glass all the way round that would be all reflections eliminated.

Might need a wider lens though to get everything in.
 
Shooting through glass is often a tricky one. Often you just can't rid of all reflections, no matter how much you tinker with your position and the polariser, so your only option is to get right up to the glass and hold the lens perpendicular to the pane. Reflections now all gone, but somewhat limits your composition! A rubber lens hood will give you a little more scope to angle the lens.

The other issue you may have is with the glass itself - either the camera focusing on it rather than the display, or marks being in focus. The former can be avoided, of course, with manual focus. The latter can be minimised by opening up the aperture so the glass itself isn't in focus.
 
Surprised nobody's mentioned this, but beware the distinct possibility of shop staff having a major issue with anyone photographing their window display ...
 
May I ask why???

Because (a) they consider their window display to be art, and their copyright or (b) because they suspect you of working for a competitor or (c) the shop is in a shopping centre in which their is a ban on photography or (d) they suspect that your picture will end up on social media, altered to the detriment of the shop's brand/image/whatever and (e) what Stevie said.

Try it in central London - Sloane Street's particularly good for seeing how long it takes the swarthy guy with the curly wire behind his ear to start up ...
 
Because (a) they consider their window display to be art, and their copyright or (b) because they suspect you of working for a competitor or (c) the shop is in a shopping centre in which their is a ban on photography or (d) they suspect that your picture will end up on social media, altered to the detriment of the shop's brand/image/whatever and (e) what Stevie said.

Try it in central London - Sloane Street's particularly good for seeing how long it takes the swarthy guy with the curly wire behind his ear to start up ...

Can't argue with that :D
 
If it's a jewellers or a designer gear shop they might think you're casing the joint!
 
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