Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

Reflective Photography Ideas

Photographers use many creative techniques in photography, but one that never gets old is the reflective method. This technique has been used so many times you would think there isn't much opportunity for a unique angle. Reflections can involve natural phenomena such as clouds, rocks, hills and mountains or man-made structures such as monuments and other landmarks. Reflections rely to a large extent on natural lighting.

Water Landscapes
- Rivers, lakes and pools can make dramatic images, particularly if you depict them reflecting a nearby feature such as mountains, hills, clouds or trees. Although such images can be difficult to perfect depending on the angle of light -- for instance, harsh, overhead sun will not have the best effect; late afternoon or early morning light is far better -- they are certainly worth waiting around for. Be careful of using a polarizing or circular filter as it may cause the reflection to disappear.
Sunset Silhouettes
- Use puddles or other isolated pockets of water, such as a patch of wet sand on a beach, to capture silhouettes of people or rocks at sunset or sunrise. These types of reflection photos are often the most aesthetically pleasing because of the intensity of color and, if people are included, the element of human drama. They work particularly well if the composition is simple and uncluttered. However, be wary of your shot being underexposed by dark silhouettes. This occurs when uneven lighting fools the camera's automatic exposure system into using the wrong settings.
Sunglasses Effect
- If you ever wondered how to create something unique with a landmark that has been photographed many times before, a useful reflective photography idea involves getting somebody wearing a pair of sunglasses to look at the monument. Depending on the amount and angle of natural light, the landmark should be reflected in their glasses. You could make the person̵7;s whole face part of the composition, or zoom in to just the reflected monument. This technique also works well with other subjects, such as mountains or landscapes, and benefits most from a wide-angle lens with a focal range between 10 mm and 22 mm.
Night Photography
- Some beautiful reflective shots are taken at night, and again involve water. Using a camera mounted on a tripod, it is possible to use a long shutter speed to make the water take on a magical silky effect. This works best if the water is reflecting lights such as streetlights, lamp posts or illuminated landmarks. The reason for this is that a slower shutter speed blurs the water's motion rather than freezing it, which leads to a more-surreal, dreamlike appearance.

Other Hobbies