What is the best way to take a photograph of something that is behind glass?

Don’t use a flash.
Filter any light sources.

A couple of quick tips are to not stand directly in front of the glass, take the picture on an angle, either by standind off to one side, or laying on your back in front of the glass (or taking the pic from above).

Also, you’re not going to want to use a flash, if you can help it. What type of camera are you using? If you’re using a camera that has shutter speed options, all you need to do is get a tripod, and set the shutter speed to stay open longer. You should get plenty of light using that method.

Check this out. Basically, it suggests no flash, attention to positioning, and/or using a polarizing filter.

I ran into this several months ago trying to take a photo through glass into another room. Having the hallway where I was standing be darker than the room on the other side of the window really turned into a great photo. The “no flash” thing was also key.

wow,your all so good to respond so quickly…I have to stand directly in front of the glass, the person will be in the box. I will be shooting the back, front, sides and top of them, i need to stand directly in front of the glass so my angles are correct. I am not using flash, I’m using a Canon EOS 400D digital slr and at a high iso and slow shutter speed. After some quick online research, i am thinking along the lines that “glass reflects what it sees” I am going to put a white sheet under the glass box, and make a white screen with a hole in it for my camera lens to go through. This way, all that the glass (hopefully) will be able to see (and reflect) is white ..and possibly my camera lens….what do you think?

I think that it’s worth a try. You may also want to try having a light source inside the box with the person.

Yes, the no flash thing is the key. On my camera, it’s the ‘museum’ setting. Works every time.

On my camera I can’t turn off the flash feature, so to do photos of my MHCs ‘at home’, I make sure the glass is clean, and put the camera at an angle so the flash is deflected away from the subject. It usually works.

zero flash: this is why the camera on the iPhone is quite nifty

Use a black sheet. White will reflect in the glass, and wont necessarily help illuminate your subject.

That’s what polarising filters were made for, either use a filter or an off-camera flash on the other side of the glass. The off-camera flash works best if you can arrange it.

simpleD what do you suggest to do with the black sheet? hold it in front of the glass?

@snotty: Cover yourself and the camera/tripod with the black sheet.