Reflections
Since photography's earliest days, the art of capturing reflections has been a fascinating aspect of the medium. This week, we will explore the history, artistic theory, and practical techniques of reflection photography—hopefully gaining both foundational knowledge and creative inspiration along the way.
The History and Art Theory of Photographing Reflections
Since photography's earliest days, its relationship with reflections has been intertwined, creating a fascinating dialogue between reality, representation, and perception. This exploration examines how reflection photography has evolved technically and philosophically over nearly two centuries, paying particular attention to Walter Benjamin's influential theoretical contributions.
Photography traces its origins to the 1830s, with William Henry Fox Talbot creating the earliest known surviving negative, "Latticed Window at Lacock Abbey," in August 1835. As the medium developed, photographers discovered the challenges and creative possibilities presented by reflective surfaces.
In the mid-19th century, when Henry Cole appointed Charles Thurston Thompson as the first "Official Photographer" at the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), early photographers encountered an unexpected documentary phenomenon. When photographing reflective objects, such as mirrors, they often inadvertently capture their own presence. These historical photographs now offer remarkable glimpses into early photographic practice, showing photographers timing exposures with pocket watches, as their images were unintentionally captured in the very objects they documented.
The exhibition "Reflections" at the Maryland Centre for History and Culture (2019-2020) highlighted how portraiture evolved from the earliest daguerreotypes of the 1840s to contemporary digital "selfies." This exhibition demonstrated that, while technology has undergone dramatic transformation, certain fundamental aspects of self-representation through reflective processes have remained remarkably consistent across nearly two centuries.
Walter Benjamin's Philosophical Perspectives on Photography
Walter Benjamin, the influential German philosopher and cultural critic, engaged with the concept of reflections in photography in multiple ways, both literal and metaphorical. His writings reveal a nuanced understanding of reflection as both a physical phenomenon captured by the camera and as a philosophical concept central to understanding photography's place in modern society.
Literal Reflections: Mirrors and Urban Space
Benjamin’s analysis of Paris as a “city of mirrors” reveals his preoccupation with reflective surfaces as defining elements of urban landscapes. He described the metropolis as a space of “multiple, shifting gazes,” where mirrored façades and glass structures fragment and multiply perspectives. This literal attention to reflections underscores how modern environments mediate human experience through optics.
In one striking observation, Benjamin noted: “When two mirrors look at each other, Satan plays his favourite game and opens a perspective on infinity.” This image of infinite regression—a physical phenomenon in which reflections replicate endlessly—served as a metaphor for the disorienting spatial relationships of modernity. For photographers, this suggests that reflections are not merely compositional tools but gateways to reimagining depth and perception. Benjamin further posited that we exist “between these two mirrors of the real and the virtual,” a duality that resonates in photography’s capacity to juxtapose tangible subjects with their ephemeral counterparts.
Reflections in Photographic Practice
Though not a photographer himself, Benjamin’s theories align with techniques employed by practitioners. His writings acknowledge how reflections in puddles, windows, or mirrors can transform ordinary scenes into layered compositions. For instance, André Kertész’s pioneering use of rain-soaked streets as reflective surfaces exemplifies the interplay between reality and distortion that Benjamin theorised. Photographers can challenge viewers' spatial assumptions by framing reflections as active participants rather than passive accidents.
Aura and the Returned Gaze
Central to Benjamin’s philosophy is the concept of “aura”—the unique presence of an artwork shaped by its context and history. He linked this to the contemplative experience of viewing reflections, where distance and proximity coexist. Early portrait photography, with its long exposures, intrigued Benjamin for its “magical quality”; subjects appeared to return the viewer’s gaze, creating a reciprocal relationship akin to encountering one’s reflection. This “returned gaze” blurs the line between observer and observed, a dynamic still relevant in reflective photography.
Conversely, Benjamin praised Eugène Atget’s depopulated Parisian scenes for rejecting human-centric reflection. By eliminating subjects, Atget’s images stripped away the auratic interplay of gazes, presenting instead a “lodging that has not yet found a new tenant.” Such emptiness shifts focus to architecture and light, where reflections are silent witnesses to urban anonymity.
Reflections in the Digital Age
Benjamin’s mirror metaphor finds renewed significance in today’s digital landscape. He described how the tension between “real and virtual” mirrors our navigation of physical and screen-based realities. Photographers now engage with reflections not only in glass or water but also through screens, filters, and augmented interfaces. This duality invites practitioners to question how their work mediates between these realms, much like the infinite regression of facing mirrors.
Walter Benjamin’s writings on reflections offer photographers a lens through which to interrogate both technique and perception. By treating reflections as active constructs rather than incidental effects, his work encourages a deliberate engagement with surfaces, gazes, and spatial ambiguity.
Photography as Art versus Art as Photography
Benjamin cautioned against what he termed photography as art, believing it could lead to dangerous perfectionism. Quoting Sasha Stone, he wrote, "Photography as art is a very dangerous field." Instead, he advocated for "art as photography," which uses the camera as a means of expression and exploration rather than imitation. Reflection photography navigates this tension productively. It often creates naturally artistic effects through purely photographic means, achieving aesthetic complexity not by imitating painting, but by engaging with photography's unique capabilities.
Transformation of Reality
Reflection photography transforms ordinary scenes into complex, abstract, and often surreal images. It introduces depth, distortion, and duplication, creating a visual language that questions perception. When a subject appears alongside its reflection, viewers encounter a form of visual repetition that mimics and transforms the original.
This transformative quality is connected to Benjamin's observation that photography can "bring out those aspects of the original that are unattainable to the naked eye yet accessible to the lens." Technical reproduction enables the original to meet the beholder halfway, creating a new relationship between the viewer and the subject.
When reflections occur in rippling water or curved surfaces, they distort the subject in ways reminiscent of impressionist or abstract art. This distortion transforms strict representational imagery into something more fluid, dreamlike, and interpretive, expanding photography's expressive possibilities.
Visual Evidence and Questioning
Benjamin noted that photographs "demand a specific kind of approach; free-floating contemplation is not appropriate to them. They stir the viewer; he feels challenged by them in a new way". Reflection photography particularly exemplifies this challenging quality, encouraging viewers to examine scenes carefully to distinguish between what is directly photographed and what is reflected.
Reflections encourage viewers to question what they see, creating a more intellectually engaging photographic experience. This questioning aligns with Benjamin's broader challenge to photography—to incorporate it "into social and political memory, instead of using it as a substitute which encourages the atrophy of such memory," as John Berger later phrased it.
Reflection photography engages with fundamental questions about representation, reality, and perception that have occupied photographers and philosophers since the medium's inception. Benjamin's theoretical framework helps us understand reflection photography as a practice that both constitutes and questions reality, creating images that exist in the productive tension between direct representation and transformative reflection.
Beyond technical skill or aesthetic choice, reflection photography offers a philosophical engagement with how we see and interpret the world. As both memory and mirror, it continues to fascinate photographers and viewers alike, offering a unique visual language that speaks to photography's essential characteristics as a medium that both documents and creates reality.
Types of Reflective Surfaces
The first step in reflection photography is identifying suitable reflective surfaces, which are more abundant than one might initially realise. Once you begin training your eye to spot them, you'll discover reflective opportunities virtually everywhere.
Water Reflections: Water provides the most common and versatile reflective surface. Its variability makes it particularly interesting:
Lakes and ponds offer pristine reflections, particularly in calm conditions when the water surface resembles glass
Puddles—even small accumulations of rainwater can frame stunning reflections, particularly in urban environments
Dew on leaves or grass can create micro-reflections, particularly effective with macro photography
Rivers and streams—moving water creates more abstract, impressionistic reflections
Ocean and sea—tidal water at beaches can create fleeting but compelling reflective opportunities
Ice can create crystalline reflections in the right conditions
Glass and Architectural Surfaces: Modern architecture, with its extensive use of glass and polished materials, offers rich opportunities:
Skyscraper exteriors— city skylines reflected in glass buildings create fascinating urban abstractions
Shop windows can create complex layered images, combining reflections with the visible interior. Storefronts and windows work particularly well in black and white photography
Polished floors in public buildings can create striking mirror effects
Marble and stone walls provide more subtle reflective qualities
Glass tabletops, balustrades, and other architectural elements. These create unexpected reflection angles
Mirrors: Beyond their obvious reflective properties, mirrors offer unique creative possibilities:
Intentional self-portraiture, using mirrors to include yourself in the composition
Fractured or multiple mirror setups, creating complex or distorted reflections
Vintage or ornate mirrors, adding historical or decorative elements to reflected images
Other Reflective Surfaces: Many other everyday objects offer reflective potential:
Wet tarmac and pavements after rain, great for blue hour street shots and architecture
Polished vehicles—cars and other vehicles with their curved, shiny surfaces can create interesting, distorted reflections
Ice and frozen surfaces; winter conditions offer unique reflective opportunities
Sunglasses and optical lenses—personal items can create intimate reflections
Metal and polished surfaces, from kitchen appliances to urban infrastructure
Composition Techniques for Reflection Photography
Successful reflection photography needs thoughtful composition, and often challenges conventional photographic rules:
Symmetry and Balance: While traditional photography often employs the rule of thirds, reflection photography frequently embraces symmetry. The reflected image creates a natural balance point, with horizontal reflections often placed centrally in the frame.
Partial vs. Complete Reflections: You can include the entire subject and its complete reflection, or focus primarily on the reflection itself for a more abstract approach. Alternatively, you can include just a portion of the reflection to create a compositional accent.
Reality and Reflection Ratio: It is crucial to find the right balance between the actual subject and its reflection. As one source notes, "Your reflection photos should always show a healthy mix of reflection and reality." This balance will vary depending on your artistic intent and the specific scene you are working with.
Frame Within a Frame: Reflections naturally create a secondary visual plane, effectively providing a "frame within a frame." This compositional technique adds depth and complexity to images.
Eliminating Distractions: Simplifying the composition by removing extraneous elements enables the viewer to focus on the interplay between the subject and the reflection. This often requires careful positioning and framing.
Height and Angle Variations: The angle at which you approach a reflective surface dramatically affects the resulting image. With any reflection, you'll want to mess around with height. You may have to get low to the ground if you want to get more of the subject reflected.
Camera Settings and Control
Mastering your smartphone's camera settings is vital for capturing reflections successfully. While smartphone cameras often handle exposure settings admirably, understanding some technical aspects can improve results:
Exposure control is critical when photographing reflective surfaces. For best results, expose for the brightest part of your photo to ensure an image rich with tone. On most smartphones, simply tap on the brightest area of your frame.
Adjusting brightness can be done by tapping to focus, then dragging up or down to modify exposure levels. Some phones also offer a dedicated exposure slider, often indicated by a sun icon.
On most smartphone cameras, you can lock both focus and exposure by tapping and holding on your subject. This helps prevent your camera from hunting for focus during critical moments. Pre-focusing helps prevent missed shots. Locking focus on your subject before final positioning is particularly helpful for close-up reflection shots—tap to focus on the reflected image so it is sharp.
Experimenting with zoom levels can yield different results. The telephoto lens, usually a 2x or 3x zoom, often works well for close-up reflection photography, providing a narrower field of view with pleasing background blur.
The grid overlay activates lines that divide your frame into nine equal parts. Enable the camera grid to help align symmetrical reflections.
Use both landscape and portrait orientations, as each offers different compositional possibilities.
Polarising filters can control the intensity of reflections or eliminate unwanted reflections, though on smartphones, this would require additional accessories, such as clip-on filter mounts.
For water reflections, faster shutter speeds freeze the surface while slower speeds blur the flow to create smoother, more abstract reflections.
Stability and Positioning
Camera stability is particularly important for reflection photography:
The human tripod method involves using both hands to hold your phone while tucking your elbows into your sides, creating a more stable platform
For added stability, you can rest your phone against environmental supports such as walls, tables, or other stable objects. Small bean bags can also be handy.
Invest in a smartphone tripod for hands-free shooting, particularly useful for long exposures or when precise composition is required.
Get close to the ground: You may need to get relatively low to capture reflections in puddles or water surfaces. The slim profile of smartphones makes low-angle shots easier to capture. Experiment with different heights to find the optimal angle
Multiple angles are worth exploring as slight changes in position can dramatically alter the reflection's appearance.
Lighting for Reflection Photography
Light quality and direction significantly impact reflection photography:
Natural light generally provides better results than flash photography, offering a softer, more diffused look.
To enhance reflections, use additional lighting when needed. Small, portable lights positioned off to one side can bring out details in reflective objects, such as spoons or other metallic surfaces.
The time of day matters—early morning and late afternoon often provide the best lighting conditions for capturing water reflections. Golden hour light creates warm, directional reflections, while the blue hour is ideal for capturing urban scenes.
Overcast days: Diffused light reduces glare on reflective surfaces, particularly water
Night photography: Artificial lighting creates dramatic opportunities, especially in urban settings with illuminated buildings
Backlighting: Can create silhouettes that appear to float on reflective surfaces
Creative Applications and Ideas
Urban Reflection Photography: City environments are rich with reflective possibilities
Puddle reflections after rain: Capturing segments of architecture in water on pavements
Glass buildings reflecting other structures: Creating complex, layered urban landscapes
Public art reflected in modern architecture: Juxtaposing artistic elements with structural forms
Natural Environment Reflections: The natural world offers countless reflective opportunities
Mountains and trees reflected in still lakes: Classical landscape reflection images
Sunrise/sunset reflections on water: Capturing dramatic light and colour
Wildlife reflections: Animals at water sources creating double images
Abstract and Experimental Approaches:
Multiple reflections, creating infinite regressions using opposing mirrors
Distorted reflections, embracing the imperfections of curved or irregular reflective surfaces
Reflection as the primary subject, focusing on the reflection rather than the originating subject
People and Reflections:
Silhouettes against reflective backgrounds: Creating mysterious human forms
Street photography with reflections: Capturing candid moments doubled by reflective surfaces
Portraits using reflections: Creating complex psychological imagery through doubled faces
Mirror and Prop Techniques. Incorporating additional reflective props can expand your creative possibilities:
Hand mirrors can create surprising effects. Try holding a small mirror up to your smartphone lens while focusing on your primary subject. This technique works particularly well with the telephoto lens to create a blurred edge around the reflective object.
Spoons provide fascinating curved reflections. Position a shiny spoon on different surfaces and experiment with angles. Using a 2x zoom helps fill the frame with your subject, allowing for a more engaging composition. For abstract results, try placing spoons on colourful or patterned backgrounds, such as cookbooks or sheet music.
The window technique involves placing your smartphone against a window, especially during blue hour, to capture reflections. This works particularly well for urban photography.
Composition Strategies: Thoughtful composition elevates reflection photography from merely interesting to truly compelling. Balance reality and reflection by showing a mix of both in your frame. While reflections are fascinating, in most cases, your photos will have more depth when they include both the reflective surface and the subject reflected in it.
Eliminate distractions from your frame to create purer, more magical images that focus solely on your subject and its reflection.
Experiment with focus depth by using portrait mode to create a blurred background while keeping your reflection sharp
Look for symmetry in your compositions, but don't be afraid to break symmetry intentionally for more dynamic results.
Preparing Your Subject: For still-life or product-based reflection photography, thoroughly clean the reflective surface to remove fingerprints, smudges, or dust that may distract from the final image. Consider imperfections that might appear in the reflection—minor flaws can be magnified when reflected. Remove clutter from the surrounding area that might appear in the reflection.
Famous Photographers and Iconic Images
Reflection photography has a rich history in the medium, offering photographers a way to create layered meaning, visual complexity, and sometimes surreal imagery. Throughout the evolution of photography, many artists have employed reflections as a central element in their work, each bringing their unique vision to this technique. This article examines notable photographers from different eras who have made significant contributions to reflection photography.
Early Pioneers
Charles Thurston Thompson (1816-1868)
Thompson, the first ‘Official Photographer’ at the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), inadvertently included his own reflection in early photographs of mirrors. These images are significant for their unintentional self-portraiture and for illustrating the technical and conceptual challenges of photographing reflective objects in the early days of the medium.
Man Ray (1890-1976)
American artist Man Ray transformed photography from a simple record of reality into an art form. Born Emmanuel Radnitzky to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, he moved to Paris in 1921, becoming one of the most prominent American expatriates in the avant-garde art scene.
Man Ray employed reflections in various ways, including self-portraiture. In his 1930 self-portrait "Untitled (Self-Portrait with Camera)," the artist photographs his reflection in a mirror, creating a solarised image in which the camera used to take the photograph appears in the image itself. This self-referential technique demonstrates Man Ray's experimental approach to photography.
Through techniques such as solarisation and multiple exposures, Man Ray created reflective imagery that challenged perceptions of reality. His experimental approach to photography, including his work with reflections, inspired generations of photographers to push the boundaries of the medium.
Mid-Century Masters
Saul Leiter (1923-2013)
Saul Leiter emerged as a pioneering figure in colour street photography. He frequently used reflections to create complex, layered images. Initially trained as a painter, Leiter brought a painterly quality to his photographic work, influenced by Edgar Degas and Pierre Bonnard.
Leiter's street photographs often feature reflections in shop windows, puddles, and car windows, creating superimposed images that blend different planes of reality. His colour work from the 1950s and 1960s, which was only widely recognised from the 1990s onwards, uses reflections to add abstract elements to urban scenes.
Despite early exhibitions alongside prominent artists like Jackson Pollock, Diane Arbus, and Robert Frank, Leiter's work remained relatively unknown until later in his life,. This was partly due to his reluctance to compromise his artistic vision for commercial success.
Lee Friedlander (b. 1934)
American photographer Lee Friedlander began photographing the American social landscape in 1948 and became particularly known for his innovative use of reflections in street photography. His series, "Reflections of the Street," concentrated primarily on reflections in shop windows, using 35mm cameras and black-and-white film. Friedlander's reflection photographs are characterised by:
Complex visual layers created through reflective surfaces such as shop windows and mirrors
Inclusion of his reflection or shadow in many images, acknowledging the photographer's presence in the scene
Use of reflections to create visual puzzles where the viewer must work to untangle the components of the image
Friedlander once noted, "You don't have to go looking for pictures. The material is generous. You go out, and the pictures are staring at you." This approach is evident in how he capitalises on found reflections in the urban environment.
In his 1960s self-portraits, Friedlander frequently photographed himself reflected in mirrors and windows, incorporating himself into the social landscape he documented. His 1970 book, "Self Portrait," explores this theme extensively, demonstrating how "mirrors in Friedlander's pictures aren't the straightforward reflection of reality" but rather "obscure as much as they reveal, often comically so."
Lisette Model (1901-1983)
Austrian-born American photographer Lisette Model also used reflections in her street photography, particularly in New York. Like Friedlander, she often photographed through windows and shopfronts, but her approach differed in that reflections typically filled her entire frame, creating distortion effects throughout the image.
Model's use of reflections created light patterns that partially obscured her subjects, often people, adding a layer of abstraction to otherwise documentary images. Where Friedlander might capture a scene with reflection in only part of the frame, Model's images typically feature reflective elements throughout the composition.
Contemporary Reflection Photographers
Florence Henri (1893-1982)
Though born in the late 19th century, Florence Henri's work with reflections in photography remains influential in contemporary practice. Originally a painter introduced to photography by László Moholy-Nagy, Henri extensively experimented with mirrors in her work. She used reflective self-portraits to express ideas about gender and sexuality and to explore compositional constructs. Her approach involved carefully planning and executing photographs in environments she controlled completely, effectively placing herself into still-life sets.
Paolo Roversi (b. 1947)
Italian fashion photographer Paolo Roversi is known for taking fashion portraits through mirrors. In his work, Roversi creates a sense of distance and mystery by photographing his subjects indirectly through reflective surfaces. Roversi employs long exposures when photographing through mirrors, believing this technique enables a "deeper exchange in the eyes" of his subjects. His approach to reflection photography is spontaneous rather than planned; he embraces chance in his studio work.
Tom Hussey
Contemporary photographer Tom Hussey has created a powerful photo series that uses reflections to tell stories about ageing and identity. In this emotionally resonant work, elderly individuals are depicted gazing into mirrors, where they see reflections of their younger selves, creating a visual dialogue between past and present selves. Though using paid actors, Hussey's reflection project effectively communicates the psychological experience of ageing, where one's internal self-image often remains youthful despite physical changes. The mirror serves as both a literal and metaphorical device to explore identity across time.
Slava Semeniuta
Photographer Slava Semeniuta found creative potential in rain-formed puddles, using them as reflective surfaces. His work features ground-level reflections lined with vibrant neon lights that illuminate the night, creating otherworldly images that transform ordinary urban settings into something extraordinary. By pointing his camera downward at these reflective surfaces, Semeniuta creates inverted landscapes that play with our perception of space, demonstrating how reflection photography can reorient our relationship to everyday environments.
Andreas Theologitis
Andreas Theologitis incorporates reflections into portrait photography, creating mysterious, sometimes out-of-focus portraits that explore the boundary between reality and fiction. Through props, poses, and placement, his subjects take on character-like qualities. Theologitis uses reflective surfaces to add layers of meaning and visual complexity to his portraits, often creating ambiguity about what is real and what is reflected, mirrored, or imagined.
Guillaume Amat
In a series inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, curator Paul Wombell collaborated with Guillaume Amat to create photographs that "simultaneously look forward and backwards" using cameras and mirrors. The resulting dreamlike landscapes feature buildings and figures that appear to float in the centre of the picture. Amat's technique creates the impression of having "two sets of eyes, both at the front and back of his head," producing images that challenge our perception of space and perspective.
Sebastian Magnani
Sebastian Magnani's "Reflections" project features photographs of a round mirror placed in various locations. The project evolved from an initial idea of photographing clouds in an iCloud-shaped mirror, but Magnani was ultimately drawn to the "symmetry and silence" of the round mirror form. Magnani describes his reflection work as being "about the beauty of reflected light," likening his images to "a universe or a small planet with a lot of possibilities in contrast to structures, colours, moods, and various lightnings."
Chris Steele-Perkins (b. 1947)
British photographer Chris Steele-Perkins, a member of the Magnum Photos agency since 1979, has incorporated reflective self-portraits in his work. He apparently uses his own image as a compositional device rather than as the subject of the photograph.
Ferdinando Scianna (b. 1943)
Italian photographer Ferdinando Scianna, another Magnum photographer, uses reflective self-portraits to provide journalistic context to his images. Unlike photographers who use reflection primarily for formal or aesthetic purposes, Scianna's approach emphasises the documentary aspect of reflection photography.
The Larger Photographic Context
The use of reflections in photography spans multiple genres, including documentary and street photography, portraiture, fashion, and fine art. Reflections offer photographers a way to:
Create visual layers and complexity within a single frame
Challenge perceptions of reality and space
Include the photographer's presence within the image
Explore themes of identity, memory, and perception
Add symbolic or metaphorical dimensions to images
The photographers discussed here demonstrate the versatility of reflection as a photographic technique and its enduring appeal across different eras and photographic approaches. From Man Ray's experimental self-portraits to Hussey's poignant explorations of ageing, reflections provide photographers with a rich visual language to express complex ideas and create visually compelling images.
As photography continues to evolve, contemporary photographers build upon this tradition, finding new ways to incorporate reflections into their work. The technique remains a vital element in the photographer's toolkit, offering endless possibilities for creative expression and visual storytelling.
Ethical Considerations in Reflection Photography
When photographing in public spaces, reflections can inadvertently capture people or private spaces:
Privacy Awareness: be mindful of capturing reflections that might include individuals who haven't consented to being photographed, particularly in private settings.
Responsible Street Photography: when capturing urban reflections that include strangers, consider the ethical implications and local laws regarding street photography.
Give It a Try!
Reflection photography presents a fascinating avenue for creative expression, challenging both the photographer and the viewer to see the world in a different light. By duplicating, transforming, and sometimes distorting reality, reflections create complex visual narratives that extend beyond simple documentation.
The practice dates back to photography's earliest days, when photographers first grappled with their reflections appearing in their subjects. It continues to evolve with new technologies and artistic approaches. Whether you're using a traditional camera or a smartphone, the world of reflections offers endless possibilities for creative exploration.
As you begin experimenting with reflection photography, remember that the most essential skill is developing your eye—training yourself to notice reflective surfaces and visualise their potential as photographic elements. With practice, patience, and creative vision, reflection photography can transform ordinary scenes into extraordinary images that invite viewers to question and reconsider their visual reality.
Resources
Here’s an interesting video from Emil Pakarklis of the iPhone Photography School that gives a great introduction to using reflections in your smartphone photography: “Do you want to take photos that stand out from the crowd? Then you should try capturing reflections in your photos! Reflection photography is a great way to get more creative... But where can you find interesting reflections? And how do you compose your reflection photos for truly eye-catching results? Watch this video to discover how to take stunning reflection photos with your iPhone!”
Here’s a wonderful fix of travel photography from Thomas Heaton, shooting landscape reflections in Patagonia: “In this video, I photograph Torres Del Paine National Park in conditions that are considered fairly unusual for this region. Patagonia is famous for its winds; however, on this particular morning, there was no wind at all, which meant I was able to capture perfect reflections of these famous mountains.”
This video by Adam Schaller is nicely produced and rather witty. It offers some great ideas for composing reflection photographs—and the guy takes stunning black-and-white photographs! “Reflections feature in many of my photographs, and often in street photography in general. In this episode, I show you my top tips for how I like to make use of reflections, and explain how you can improve at spotting good opportunities to mirror your subjects.”
This week’s assignments…
For this week’s daily photos, your brief is to take a whole bunch of pictures with reflections in them. Spend a little time hunting different types of reflection, and experiment with using multiple mirrors or reflective objects in still-life setups. Try shooting shop windows, especially during golden and blue hours, when the balance between interior lights and partial daylight is relatively even.
Let’s see photographs that demonstrate reflections in a variety of surfaces, and interesting ways to incorporate them into your composition. Extra points for pictures that make the viewer stop and think, either working out what is real and what is reflection, or by conveying a more profound message through the use of reflections.
