Reflecting on Reflections

by Fairlie Atkinson

As we move into the second month of the year, we start to think about putting those photographic goals we made on January 1st into practice. Lots of people sign up for photo challenges or make a list of weekly or monthly techniques they want to try out, reflections being a good challenge for many.

So, where do you start with reflection photography? First and foremost, when done well, a photograph of a reflection projects the symmetry around us. The easiest place to start to explore this is in nature; puddles, in particular, make a great starting point. A while ago, I discovered a little-known Instagram account called Wellington Puddles https://instagram.com/wellington_puddles

While it only has a few posts, the photographer has taken some truly wonderful images of cityscape reflections in puddles. In each image, the photographer changes the perspective by placing themselves at the height of the puddle. By lying down and shooting over the top of the puddle, we can see no difference between the reflection and the view until we see the edges of the water. The real skill here is to capture both the scene and the reflection without blur, ripple, or distraction in the reflection. A single focal point will not achieve this, so ensure your camera is set to multiple focal points, allowing you to automate the focal points or move them manually as needed.

Moving on from puddles, large bodies of water are great, and Bob Zurr has done a fantastic job of capturing reflections in his landscapes.

Read the full article by Fairlie Atkinson in Issue 64 of NZPhotographer magazine.

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