Photo Diary • Reflections In Photography and Tips

photo by JWP on flickr
Reflections in photography belong to these amazing moments that the subject of a photo is mirrored in a surface and its idle is captured by a camera. They add a surrealistic beauty in our photos and increase their interest. There are many things to consider about a composition with reflections and in most of them our eye decides subconsciously. 


Water element covers a huge chapter of reflection in photography. But, it’s not enough to be near water. As Lao Tzu said,

no one can reflect on streaming water”

And, for clear and vibrant water reflections the weather plays major role. It is essential to choose days and hours without wind to capture natural mirrored effects. Also, clouds on our canvas add more depth and more points of interest in reflected scenery. Except from water, there are many other surfaces to consider, like mirrors, windows, glass, chrome of automobiles, etc. 


It almost happens automatically. When the reflections of a scenery happen on the still waters of a lake, river or sea, we tend to divide the composition in the middle. Half of the photo is for the scene and the other half for its reflection. As Francis Bacon wrote,

there is no excellent beauty 
that has not some strangeness in the proportion“. 

In symmetrical reflections this happens to capture the subject and its idle in whole without cutting the edges.

Clarity And Vibrancy

All the reflections tend to be more blurred and less colored by their nature. In some compositions these characteristics fit harmonically and serve the purpose of the photo. But, in landscape photography usually they need to be enhanced. Post-processing an image and increasing contrast and saturation may give more vivid scenery as long as it is self-limited in natural hues.

I hope you found this short trip at the mirrored surfaces of Prespes Lakes in Greece beautiful and dreamy. Days like these, cloudy, yet sunny and without wind or breeze, transform our steps on the pontoon bridge in a aethereal cloud walking . Nature scenery is just magnificent. Wish you all have a wonderful Friday and weekend !!!


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