Stained Glass Windows

Chief, that is a splendid shot! The detail is incredible! And yet another place I need to add to the list of "must-visits" when I can.

johnh4260 wrote in post #17797421
Notre Dame


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I recognize that!

Tim

A different Notre Dame, this one in Chartres, France.

Canon EOS 7D • Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM @54mm • 1/13 • f/8 • ISO 800

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/AkJB​vw Rose Window in the Cathedral in Chartres by Tim Herbert, on Flickr

Canon EOS 7D • Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM @46mm • 1/20 • f/8 • ISO 3200

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/AxKc​uS Rose Window in the Cathedral in Chartres by Tim Herbert, on Flickr

Tim

Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/r1mS​Pr

Chapel of the Sacred Heart in Grand Teton National Park

Canon EOS 7D • Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM @70mm • 1/320 • f/4.5 • ISO 800

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dBYc​uQ Sacred Heart by Tim Herbert, on Flickr

Tim

I'm interested in stained glass, history of glass, and will be traveling to UK soon. Hope to get stained glass photos. What lenses and/ or settings are preferred for capturing stained glass? Which ones will have less distortion?

Will be shooting with either my 60D or a friend's 5D Mark II. I won't be able to lug a tripod, just the lenses are heavy enough for me plus the tripod doesn't fit in my suitcase. I will have 24-70 f2.8L, 50 mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, 70-300 f.4-5.6.

Any advice/ tips? Besides getting a new wide-angle... I'm sorely tempted to get 17-40 f.4 but I'm scraping as it is, to even do this trip.

Thanks!

jesshen wrote in post #17893046
What lenses and/ or settings are preferred for capturing stained glass? Which ones will have less distortion?

You probably want "spot" metering to expose for the glass itself, but play around with varying your exposure based on the ambient light if the windows cast interesting shadows/glow to their surroundings.
Since stained glass windows displays are very dependent on the ambient/sun light, try to get to your locations when the light coming through them will be "good" - usually early morning or late afternoon depending on their orientation.


I'd avoid "wide" lenses since they tend to have distortion that could affect the lines of the windows. The 24-70 probably will be the best of the lenses you have listed particularly on the 5D.
You can manipulate/fix some distortion in post-processing via Lightroom's adjustment tools, but prefer to get the exposure in-camera if you can.


I'll help bump this thread with a shot from the "Bishop Castle" in Colorado:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Emt8​Ln

From the days when I was into HDRI:

IMAGE LINK: http://www.ipernity.co​m/doc/diamantstudios/3​1568029

Here's an original Tiffanys window from the early 1900s in the Equitable Building

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Gxxh​jS

Buckfast Abbey

another from Buckfast Abbey

Different, yet colorful!

This has a modern twist to what is normally seen in stained glass.