Taking spectacular shots on location is always an exciting prospect, but have you considered taking your photography in a different direction? The use of a window to frame your photograph can create some magical results, inviting the viewer to lean in to see more. It’s as if they are with you as you take it, enjoying the landscape in front of them.

As well as an excellent idea for a one-off photography, this idea could also be used as the inspiration for an entire photography project. See our post on creating a vision board to collect all your ideas in one place.

Aspirational

If you are lucky enough to be in an enviable place of the world, make the most of it! Capture the view from your hotel window, or maybe the vista from a café window, framing the beauty that lies outside.

Everyone loves an aspirational photograph. Just look at the popularity of Russian photographer Murad Osmann, and his collection of images showing his girlfriend taking his hand and leading him through bustling cities and tropical paradises all over the globe. We feel as though we are being led on the same journey, placing ourselves in these beautiful and interesting locations.

Be sure to also check out our post on drink photography – also a very aspirational muse, especially if it’s something fancy like Kir Royale.

Tips for photographing through a window

With this idea comes a few challenges. You need to be able to shoot through glass and be able to avoid the glare. For this, use a polarizing filter to cut out the extra sunlight that causes a glare. Simply twist the polarizer until you are happy that there is no glare left. Once you have the angle right, you can still keep the light coming through the glass.

Another way to approach the shot is to open the windows – this is great if you have windows that open inward or outward like doors, giving you a clear view of the scenery while also keeping the window as your frame in the image.

Angle is everything. You need to position the window in your line of sight so that it equally frames the landscape outside of it. If this is off, the eye will be drawn to the off angle other than the focus of the shot – the rolling hills of countryside, that seaside view to die for, the busy streets of a cosmopolitan city etc.

Inspiration

If you need to see some visuals to get you excited about this project, or you need inspiration for your vision board, read Elite Traveller’s top 12 hotel rooms with a views story. Entrants include the Ritz Carlton in Singapore, Plaza Athenee in Paris and the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney.

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