A World Outside Your Car Window

No professional photographer would compose the money shots out the car window, but there are plenty of shots that can't be safely or practically attained any other way. Don't be deterred by the fear that your shots will be blurry. Inevitably, some will be, but with a little practice and the right technique, fewer and fewer will be with time. Here are some tips for composing out-the-car-window shots (and I hope it goes without saying that you should NOT be the one driving!!), followed by a few examples of my own.

Crank Up the ISO!
If your camera can't handle high ISO, you're going to be disappointed with many of your shots, because it's impossible to get a tack-sharp shot without using a high ISO unless it's very sunny out, especially when pointing your camera at a close subject out the side window.

Keep the Lens Wide Open (Low f/stop)
If you use a DSLR, this will give you a shallow depth of field, which may not be desirable for a landscape shot, but in my opinion, it is more desirable than a noisy shot from too high ISO. If you have a super-fast lens, you might be able to get away with using a low ISO.

Shoot in Continuous Mode
It's unlikely that the first shot you take will be the keeper, so when you see something you like, just hold that shutter button down and take a few shots!

Don't zoom in too tight.
It can be tempting to try to frame your shot just like you would if you weren't in a moving vehicle, but if you miss, you won't be able to bring back the lost edges. Cropping is a very important part of out-the-window photography!

Try a Polarizing Filter
I say try because you will lose some light with a polarizing filter, which might end up being a deal-breaker if your camera can't handle high ISO, but if you must keep the window up, the polarizer can cut down on the reflections.

Don't be afraid to include the car in a few shots
Sometimes the car can be an interesting subject in your shot and give a sense of place to your set of images.

Take Advantage of the Motion
Sometimes you can use the motion of the car to create some cool effects. This picture was shot at about 1/10 of a second at f/22 and ISO 100. To get this effect, point your camera towards the windshield, use the highest f/stop and lowest ISO possible, and hold still! You can overexpose just a bit to exaggerate it even more.

Use your camera bag as a support
You should have something on your lap to rest your elbows on to steady your shot. Sometimes if I'm shooting through the windshield, I lean on the dashboard, which also lets me use a wider angle without getting the whole car in the shot.

A Few Shots from my Flickr Photoset: