Taking shots through windows?

[Martylaa]

So we have a bird feeder outside on the patio and we get woodpeckers on there, however when I try and go outside they fly off, we have French doors where I could get a shot but what's the opinion of shooting through glass windows?
p.s the windows are clean lol

 

[AJQS]

As long as there's not too much in the way of strong reflections off the glass, and you can get close, it'll be fine.

 

[rackhs]

hi, I am in a similar position and most of my bird shots in the garden are through a window. Keeping the window clean is obviously a big help and I still think you can get some reasonable shots this way. They probably wont ever be 'as good' as there is just another layer of glass in the way, but I think the shots can still be reasonable.

Here are a couple of mine through a window -

 

[garry71]

Just park yourself outside in a chair and wait for them. As long as you don't move about too much, you should be able to get some pictures without scaring them off.

 

[realspeed]

What about setting the camera up on a tripod outside and use a wireless remote to trigger the camera?

Realspeed

 

[dracaj]

What about setting the camera up on a tripod outside and use a wireless remote to trigger the camera?

Realspeed

+ 1

 

[gramps]

What about opening the patio door and shooting through it?

 

[Martylaa]

I tried opening the doors and the woodpecker never turns up, yet the minute the doors close it appears lol

 

[PhotoshopEditer]

What about setting the camera up on a tripod outside and use a wireless remote to trigger the camera?

Realspeed

1+

Or you could make a hide in your garden. If you absolutely have to shoot through the window put your lens up close against it and choose a low aperture to get the window completely out of focus.

 

[MWHCVT]

I find using a polariser helps a lot when shooting through glass, I shot a couple of tarantulas though quite dirty glass with flash aimed at the glass as it was quite dark and this was the result

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwhcvt/5802319227/in/set-72157626770498571/

Hope this helps

Matt
MWHCVT

 

[da_nige]

We have a Sparrowhawk that sometimes comes into our garden. I regularly tak shots of it through glass and the only problems are the AF with double glazing and the images being less contrasty. If you get the focusing spot on then shots can be had

Neil

 

[Richard Peters]

Have you got curatins? Open the patio door and draw the curatins, leaving just the very end of your lens sticking through on a tripod?

 

[Bikeman]

I also have a porch , half wood half glass I tried sitting in the open doorway on a chair with tripod and camera covered in a gray / slate blue mottled studio background cloth .......nothing came close for a few days so I left the chair in the doorway covered with the cloth on several dry days , the birds got used to it and bingo !
birds come so close now my lens wont focus that close so I had to move back inside five or six feet !!