Shooting Through Glass

[pyrphotography]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I searched and could not find an answer.

I sit in the front row at minor league hockey games (yeah, like i could ever afford pro)... anyway, I get some nice shots, but I'm still getting some reflection/glare. What type of filter should/could I use to reduce the glare. I've been fortunate enough to get some nice stop action stuff, but reducing glare before I edit would be best.

Thanks in advance,
Dan

[JSPhoto]

No filter will help, basically you need to be right up to the glass...feels real good when you miss the guys crashing into the boards and shoving the camera deeper into your face or the thing bouncing off your face a couple times...you remember until the next time it happens
It would be nice to have some holes to shoot through though.
JS

[mjs1973]

I've never shot hockey before, let alone thru the glass, but you might want to try a polarizer. They are real good at cutting glare, but you will loose a couple of stops. No guarantees it will work, but worth a try if you have one.

[another view]

Polarizers will cost you 1-2 stops of light, and in a situation like this you usually need all the light you can get. If you're shooting thru glass inside a building looking out, polarizers can also pick up scratches and internal stress cracks (that you can't normally see) in the glass - I've seen examples but haven't had that happen personally.

Best advice is to get right up next to the glass, like having the front of the lens within an inch of it. You'd be shooting wide open or close to it, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem (assuming you're not using flash).

[drg]

As JS said get right up to the plexi. Jam the lens hood on to the glass and that way you'll keep the orientation of the glass and front element of the lens parallel. That will cut down/remove the glare on your side of the glass.

There's a local press photog who at the Blues (St. Louis) games does this right behind and along the benches and his pics look like he is shooting just through air.

Good luck and watch for the checking. Stitches in the eyebrow hurt when the camera get jammed to hard in to your face. Its hockey after all!