Mirror Mirror - tyneholm
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Mirror Mirror

Posted on 6 December 2021
in Street

Assignment S49

Reflections have always played a part in street photography and they are all around us. When you are pounding the streets and there’s not much interesting material catching your attention, look for reflective surfaces to make a great semi-abstract. You can use puddles, mirrors, floors, windows, shiny walls-in fact any reflective surface can result in a cool shot that causes the viewer to look twice. 

This type of shot is really popular; check out the #reflection or #puddlegram hashtags on lnstagram to get an idea of how obsessed people are with reflections.

With this assignment, add 10 of your own reflection images to the lnstagram pool. 

View the images

Technique

  • When using a wall or window as your reflective surface, the closer you get your camera to that surface, the better; ideally you should be touching it. 
  • If you’re shooting a puddle, get as close to the ground as possible. Positioning your camera on the ground (at the edge of the puddle) works best but be careful of water seeping in through the baseplate. Use a small aperture to ensure the puddle, foreground, and background is in focus.
  • Symmetry can work well, so position the natural centerline in your scene in the middle of the frame, causing the viewer to question which side is reality and which is the reflection.
  • Find a store or office window on a street corner and use the angles to achieve a kaleidoscopic effect.

Field Notes

  • You can use any camera, but one with a tilting screen will help you frame low down shots.
  • Try taking a selfie in a mirror or shop window reflection. Look at the work of Vivian Maier to see how it’s done!