Shooting through front windshield

[Tom S]

Usually cars are on sleds with duvetyne or solids covering the front windshield to get good driver shots. Are there any tricks, that are safe, to shooting drivers without terrible glare on a low indie budget? Anything like an anti-reflective lens skirt that works on the angled front windshield? It seems the safest option is to film indoors and try to project background onto a screen.

 

[M Harvey]

If you're shooting inside and lighting it, and therefore have control over the angle of the light, then just remember the basic rule: the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. (Take a look at http://rmico.com/reflection-and-refraction-of-light-tutorial.)

Presumably, if you're inside, you'll also be able to hang solids in front of the windshield as well.

You'll also maybe want to experiment with a circular polarizer filter.

 

[Cameron K]

"...circular polarizer filter."

For low budget indie? This.

 

[Werner Jauch]

Agree with polarizing filter. I did this last month, lots of trees overhead, this is the best I got with polarizing filter. Car was stationary as written in script.

 

[Werner Jauch]

Here's a jpg, slightly trimmed to fit resolution upload limits on Reduser

 

[Björn Benckert]

Works well to have the camera mounted on the hood or such and shoot in trough the windshield. You need a Polarize filter and then use it to dial away the reflections to desired level. If shooting straight into the the windshield the reflection is pretty much showing what's straight above the windshield so no real worry to see camera gear and such if the windshield is tilted on somewhat 45deg angle. Then also the darker it is outside the car compared to the interior the less reflections you got. But we been doing nice shots like this when in blistering daylight with no lighting inside the car no problems.

But yes the adjustable polarizer is the main trick.