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HERE’S THE ASSIGNMENTThe assignment is to make FIVE photographs that use some type of re-flection. Either direct re-flection in a mirror, or indi-rect in a puddle, a window or other shiny surface. As always, the assignment is to take different types of reflection photos, not just five photos of someone in front of a mirror, or five photos of things reflecting in a puddle.

WATER

Probably the most com-mon type of reflection photography is reflec-tions off of water, but that doesn’t mean water reflections are clichés. Spectacular skyscapes reflected on water are a mainstay—the symme-try provides for double the beauty, after. Beyond that, many photographers choose to mix it up with silhouettes, common water features such as

docks, but also human silhouettes or the natural curve of the shore. Nor does the reflection have to be the focus of the picture. The focus of the picture could be some-thing completely different, while the reflection itself merely provides a subtle, simple background. It’s a time-honored way to take a picture, and one that is difficult not to have exqui-site results with.

Times near dawn and dusk are the most typical, and with good reason: not only is the water is more likely to be calm, but the colors and clouds of the sky also tend to be more dramatic. Take a walk in a park near you—maybe with a friend for some sil-houettes or brainstorm-ing, or maybe with just an eye for interesting fea-tures and lines.

GLASS PANES

Water isn’t the only thing that reflects images. We’re surrounded by glass and steel, manmade reflective surfaces abound. While sunsets and storm clouds look fantastic on the face of a skyscraper, many of these surfaces are only half-reflective—which in itself can be used as a powerful tool. A pane of glass can be a window to both the inside and out-side worlds, a medium for very surreal effects.

Experiment with the man-made surfaces around you. They don’t have to be perfectly reflective—dirty glass, while maybe not the prettiest for a passerby, can provide a gritty mood to a photo-graph. Partial reflections can be used to juxtapose

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REFLECTIONSREFLECTIONS

multiple scenes on top of each other, so keep a keen eye out on your surroundings. A walk through any urban environment and a creative eye is bound to be fruitful.

WATER DROPLETS

Of course, there’s no requirement in reflec-tion photography that the reflective surface has to be flat. Droplets, spoons, mirrored glasses, and camera lenses are great examples of this. All around us, after a rain or after the sprinkler goes off or after the morning dew, they provide a curved window into reality, reflecting and refract-ing the light in often spectacular ways. Alone or in groups, in focus or out, they sparkle or they shine, they complicate or clarify an image.

However, with such small things being the sub-ject of your photo, you’ll have to take some es-pecial technical care. A primer in f-stop, aperture and general macro photography is an absolute must. In addition, a good dose of patience is re-quired, to get that reflection—or reflections—ex-actly right. The patience definitely pays off, how-ever, and the creative potential is boundless.

MORE TIPS

Reflections come in many different forms and guises, varying from dramatic landscape shots to detailed macro compositions, but there are a few fundamental techniques which will help you achieve better results when dealing with reflec-tions.

With regards to depth of field, try to select a high f-number such as f/11 or higher, this will help level out the subjects of the shot so the eye per-ceives them in closer relation, enhancing the re-flection effect.

Focus depends a lot on the distance between the subject and the reflection. First, try focusing on the subject, then trying focusing on the reflection. This should produce slightly varied results and your preference will depend on how much atten-tion you want to draw to the reflection.

Finally, think about the angle of the light and how it affect the reflection. In a studio setting you can manipulate this to emphasise the reflection, but in a natural setting you may want to explore dif-ferent viewpoints to find the angle at which the reflection is most visible.

WATER & LANDSCAPESThe grandeur, colours, and patterns offered by nature can be breathtaking and for me, the es-sence of this is displayed in a snowy-topped mountain reflecting upon a serene lake. The scene is a photographers dream, but how do you maximise its potential to capture a breathtaking shot?First, try and go when the light is at it’s best, ei-ther bright and early, or in the evening as the sun

is setting. Be sure to take along your tripod to ensure a sharp shot and try using a couple of filters. A polarising filter will help you to control the amount of surface shine from the water, and a graduated neutral density filter will help ensure that the sky isn’t overexposed.

Try experimenting with slightly longer shutter speeds than normal to smooth out the water and, as I mentioned before, be sure to take into ac-count the depth of field, angle of the light and try focusing in on the water for that extra level of drama.

SHINY THINGS! Photography involving reflections doesn’t have to be restricted to water-based landscape shots, there are plenty of other reflective surfaces to utilise that we encounter in everyday life such as mirrors, glass, metal, ceramic tiles and even varnished wood.

It’s important to remember that shiny surfaces such as these don’t absorb light, so if using artifi-cial lighting, think carefully about the amount and angle of the light in relation to your surface. You may want to experiment with lighting from above or behind your subject.

This also applies to the use of flash, which will probably be limited as the light will often just bounce straight back at you.

Try to ensure that your surface is clear of scratch-es and fingerprints, especially when focusing in on detail within the reflection. Flat surfaces are easier to work with, as they will give more com-plete reflections.

Once you’ve found your surface, try using dif-ferent subjects to see what reflections you can achieve. You can use anything you like, but the more interesting the shape, the more interesting the formation of the reflection will be.

EXPERIMENT & ENJOY

Reflection photography is often described as ab-stract, which I think can be the case, but when utilising reflections, the type of shots that you cre-ate are totally up to you, the photographer.

You may want to utilise a reflective surface to make an otherwise predictable photo shoot more interesting, you may want to capture stunning real life landscapes, or you may want to ex-periment with angles and lighting to create eye catching abstract art shots. The joy is in the vari-ety of potential shots, now it’s up to you to go and capture them!

Reflections photography is the art or technique of using reflective surfaces to capture beauti-ful and unique images. Common surfaces used for reflective photography are bodies of water, windows, and mirrors. Using reflective surfaces

is a great way to create abstract images. Often, images created using reflections have a more artistic appeal. Although any reflective surfaces can be used, mirrors are often the less chosen because they can be very difficult to work with.

USING MIRRORS FOR ART

The most important tip to follow when using mir-ror reflections for art or abstract images is to make sure the mirrors are clean. Blotches, spots, or a streak on a mirror is a great way to cause an image to loose quality.

Do not use filters when working with reflections. A common reason people choose to use a filter is to reduce the glares and reflections that appear in an image. Therefore, a filter would distort the image and cause it to look dull when working with mirrors.

CHOOSING OBJECTS

When choosing an object to place in front of a mirror, you can use almost anything. People are great subjects for reflections photography. If you choose to use other objects make sure they are not flat. Using flat objects for mirror reflections cause the images to look flat and dull. By choos-ing objects that have curves and unique shapes you will add definition to the image.

FOCAL POINTS

It is important to choose a great focal point when using mirrors. You can either focus on the image in the mirror or the subject. Each focal point has its own benefit. If you choose to focus on the subject, the image in the mirror will be slightly blurred. However, if you choose to focus on the reflection, the subject becomes slightly blurred. Focusing on the reflection, especially when using people, is a great way to draw in the attention to the mirror. Doing this with people is a good way to add emotion or dramatic affect to an image.

USING FLASH

Be very careful when photographing with mirrors. It is often best to not use a flash or to use a very low flash because it can produce unwanted glare or bright spots in the image. Pay very special at-tention to all light sources in the area. It may take multiple adjustments with the mirror to eliminate all the possible glares.

If you must use a flash, make sure you do not stand directly in front on the mirror. It is best to stand off to the side. Your body should be almost perpendicular to the mirror. This is the best way to reduce the chance of glare from a flash affect-ing the image.