Shooting through glass: reflections you can plan

14 October 2026 · ShotBox3D team · Glass, Creative

Glass reflects about 4% of light face-on and far more at an angle. Here's how to decide which side of the pane wins, before you book the location.

A pane of clear glass shows two pictures at once: what is behind it, and a reflection of what is in front of it. Which one you see depends on how bright each side is, and on the angle you look at it from.

The angle matters

Looking straight through, glass reflects only about 4% of the light. At a steep angle, near grazing, it reflects most of it. That is why a shop window looks transparent from in front and like a mirror from the side.

Brightness decides the rest

• To show the person behind the glass, light them and keep the camera side dark.
• To show a reflection, light the subject on the camera side and keep the far side dark.
• To blend both, balance the two: the reflected face needs about 25 times the light of the face behind it when the glass is face-on.

Mirrors are different

A mirror reflects about 90% from its front and blocks light completely from behind. Use one to throw a hard, bright spot of light into a scene, or to show a second view of the model in the same frame.