Best in camera method to remove car lights?

When shooting urban landscapes early I often have to deal with passing cars. Since it's usually not much light the exposures are generally a few to several seconds. I have been using my lens cap or my arm sleeve to briefly cover the view of the lens as the car(s) passes. Does it matter if covering left to right or top to bottom, etc...

What is your technique?

A very difficult thing to do. Because the light are so bright, they will quickly overexpose and leave the blown out streaks. Even a split second of light from a car's lights will do this. Might be better to use lots of shorter exposures and combine the ones that have no lights.

In camera? No way except framing it so the cars don't pass through your view. You're already covering the lens with something, why not reframe your shot so the cars aren't in it? Can you zoom in farther? That might work.

JJD.Photography wrote in post #16472338
Does it matter if covering left to right or top to bottom, etc...

In a long exposure, probably not.

Large, flat black cardboard will reduce any bleed at the edges & you won't disturb the camera.