# Photographing through fencing



## ams2d (Apr 15, 2014)

Took a drive this weekend to a place I hate to love called Exotic Feline Rescue Center. Love seeing the big cats there but hate the reason why I am able to see them so close is because they had to be rescued from various situations.

Rules of the center is must be at least 3 feet back from the fence so being able to put the lens against the fence is out of the question and would be automatic boot from the park. Plus have to watch out for them spraying. 

When the cat is close (against the fence) I understand it’s near impossible to not have the fence in the shot but I am talking about when the cat is farther away in its area.

Here are my questions:

- Does anyone have any techniques or advice for shooting through a chain link fence? 
- Any tips for removing it in LR? 
- Would a longer lens allow me to focus on the cat and “zoom” through the fence? 

The shots below were all with the Sigma 18-250

Was 3 feet away from this guy and he was just yawning.




EFRC_12Apr2014-2 

Discoloration in the mane is from the fence




EFRC_12Apr2014 

Some discoloration here but not as bad




EFRC_12Apr2014-3 

I can see it so guess you can as well




EFRC_12Apr2014-4


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 15, 2014)

You can remove the fence in photoshop, I think lightroom is not equipped to do that.

If you upload the photo to CR rather than linking it to Flickr, someone might try it.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 15, 2014)

A wider aperture will deliver more foreground blur. A 70-200/2.8 would be a better lens in that scenario (a 200/2 or 300/2.8 would be even better). 

Depending on the focal lengths you're using, a FF camera may also yield better results.


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## bigbadhenry (Apr 15, 2014)

http://blog.darrenwardphotography.co.uk/photographing-through-mesh-fences/


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## Don Haines (Apr 15, 2014)

Set the lens as fast as you can and try to keep the fence somewhere in the first half of the distance to your subject. Also, try to avoid plain backgrounds.

In the following shot of a heron, you can't really see the chain link fence except for where there is snow in the background. In the rest of the image the pattern is not very noticeable....


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## mackguyver (Apr 15, 2014)

You can do this with any gear, but fast lenses work best. Get as close to the fence as possible, touching it with your hood if you can. If you can't find a shaded part of the fence to darken the chain link. Shoot wide open (or close to it) and when the animal is as far away from the fence as possible. The difference in focus distance is what matters most, which is why the tiger & fence are both in focus. Here are some shots with various gear through fences to show that you don't need big glass:

*Rebel XSi with 70-300 (non-L) @300mm f/5.6*










*Rebel XSi with 70-200 f/4 IS + 1.4x II @280mm f/5.6*





*5DIII with 300 f/2.8 IS II @ f2.8*





*5DIII with 300 f/2.8 IS II + 2x III @ f/8*


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 15, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> Get as close to the fence as possible, touching it with your hood if you can.



The OP mentioned a restriction requiring a distance of at least 3 feet from the fence. I don't know that shots like the great ones you posted would turn out quite so well with that much separation from the fence.


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## mackguyver (Apr 15, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > Get as close to the fence as possible, touching it with your hood if you can.
> ...


Neuro, thanks for the comments, and a the lion (which is actually a 100% crop) and eagle shots were taken from 10-15 feet from the fence. The key is how far the animal is from the fence, along with the aperture. Finding a shaded spot on the fence helps a lot, too.


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## AcutancePhotography (Apr 15, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> Shoot wide open (or close to it) and when the animal is as far away from the fence as possible. The difference in focus distance is what matters most, which is why the tiger & fence are both in focus.



That is the key to this technique. You want the fence to animal distance to be significantly greater than the lens to fence distance. It may help if you have the sun behind you so the fence links are lighter when they Bokah out.


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## ams2d (Apr 16, 2014)

Thank you all for the responses and information.

Great pics mackguyver


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## mackguyver (Apr 16, 2014)

ams2d, thank you for the nice comment and the key is patience (waiting for the animal to _finally_ walk away from the fence) and taking lots of shots. There's a fine line between no fencing in the shot and just a hint of it that you can't see until you get home.


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## surapon (May 1, 2014)

Thousand Thanks to my friends and Teachers.
Yes, I have learn some thing news like the question on this post and answer by the " PRO ".
Yes, So many times that We, as the Photographers with out the PRESS Badge, who have to shot he great Picture from the Fence , such as " The White House"
Thanks again.
Surapon


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## mackguyver (May 1, 2014)

surapon said:


> Thousand Thanks to my friends and Teachers.
> Yes, I have learn some thing news like the question on this post and answer by the " PRO ".
> Yes, So many times that We, as the Photographers with out the PRESS Badge, who have to shot he great Picture from the Fence , such as " The White House"
> Thanks again.
> Surapon


Well done, Surapon, and a great example of shooting a distant subject through fencing. It's so good in fact, that I think you might have actually been inside - at the White House Easter Egg Roll, perhaps???


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## slclick (May 1, 2014)

integration


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## surapon (May 2, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> surapon said:
> 
> 
> > Thousand Thanks to my friends and Teachers.
> ...




Thanks, Dear Friend mackguyver-----Ha, Ha, Ha, No Easter Eggs Hunt for me, But at that time, When I stick my lens of My first DSLR Olympus C2500L( 1999 = 2.5 MP=$ 2,000 US Dollars with Flash and Memory cards)----No, Not Canon " L " Lens, in to the hole of the Chain Link Fence and Vibration the Fence, and The Security alarm come on, And The CIA/ Security staffs run to see me, and tell " Please do not touch the Fence"-------Ha, Ha, Ha---I just say, I am sorry, and I must take the Photos of Big White house, which have the most beautiful super Green Lawn----Yes, I ask them, Who live in this Big White House ?, And Why that person need a Great and super fast security staffs like you?------Ha, Ha, Ha, No answer from the staffs with Black sunglasses.
Well, Just Kidding, Have a great weekend, Sir.
Surapon


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## mackguyver (May 2, 2014)

surapon said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > surapon said:
> ...


Great story! You gave me a good laugh and who lives there? Too funny. Have a great weekend as well!


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