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The MissionPhotograph a mirror-like scene with a watery reflection and turn it upside down Time neededHalf an hour Skill levelIntermediate Kit neededTripod • ND filters • cable release

eflections always make for an alluring image. They can add real depth to a scene,

while literally doubling the area of interest.

Flipping the image 180 degrees, so that the distorted reflection of the vista is at the top, can bewilder your audience and make them question reality. You

will need to find a picturesque viewpoint with a water source such as a river or lake – we photographed a hillside in the central Brecon Beacons.

You will also need to consider the correct height for your scene. Down at water level, the reflection will be taller but more blurred. The higher you go, the sharper your reflection will be, and the

stiller the water the clearer the image. Using a shutter speed of a second or two will blend slight water ripples together, to give a silky-smooth surface. To attain this length of exposure you will need to use a tripod along with a remote shutter release, and you’ll usually need to use neutral density (ND) filters to darken the bright daylight sufficiently.

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ViDeo also online http://bit.ly/pp_103_3

a time for reflectionTurn the world upside-down with Tom Welsh as he replicates reality using watery reflections as mirrors, then flips an image on its head

View The ViDeo

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For sharper reflections you need

to get higher up, taking a small step

ladder can raise your angle of view

sufficiently

Quick Tip!

DaRkening Downunless you are shooting at dawn or dusk, you may struggle to get a slow enough shutter speed. A neutral density (ND) filter extends your shutter speed by cutting down the light that enters the camera. We shot with a four-stop ND filter but, even so, shooting on a bright day at f/22 and iSO50 still only gave us a 2 sec exposure time. in any case, don’t push the shutter speed too far as the water is far more reflective than the rest of the scene, and too long an exposure will result in the water being overexposed.

Scenic reflections

The Canon Magazine 51

NexT moNTh ND GraDS

sTep by sTep NATurAl mirrOrS How to mirror the scene with the use of reflections in water

01 The righT spoTYou’ll need a static subject or scene on the edge of (or in) a body of water. You’ll need to shoot across the water, so that the scene is reflected in its surface. A small bay, lake, or gently flowing river is ideal, as you can shoot from the opposite shore.

03 Take your TimeSet your shutter speed to at least 1 sec; the longer the shutter is open, the smoother the reflection will appear. A narrow aperture will help to achieve this, but even so, on a sunny day you may need to use an ND filter for a sufficiently slow exposure time.

05 Closely CroppedIt’s best to keep things simple. Filling the frame with too many different elements will take away from the reflection, so crop in close to your subject to remove distractions, or shoot bigger scenes with plenty of empty space around the edges.

02 a perfeCT sTill dayYou need still water, as fast-flowing water won’t produce a sharp reflection. But even then, you will need a long exposure of a second or two to smooth out ripples on the water’s surface. Use a tripod and remote release (or self-timer) to avoid camera shake.

04 angle iT righTPick what angle to shoot at to gain the level of detail you’d like in the reflection; lower down will reflect more of the scene but will be more distorted, higher up will be clearer, but with less depth. In general, it’s best not to shoot right down at the water’s edge.

06 reversing realiTyTo turn your image upside-down, open it in Photoshop and go to Image>Image Rotation>Flip Canvas Vertical. Finally, use the Crop tool (press C) to position the horizon bang-on the centre, splitting the reflected scene above from the land below.

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01 roCk poolsWhile beaches have an abundance of water, it’s impossible to capture reflections in a raging sea. However, rock pools are ideal as they will be perfectly still. Look for interesting rocky shapes that will make symmetrical reflections, such as this example from Craster, Northumberland.

04 fragmenTs of refleCTionsSmaller bodies of water in the foreground can replicate specific sections of the scene, thus adding intrigue. And as water catches bright light so effectively, this can also brighten up shady, otherwise-uninteresting foregrounds. In this pond, the reflection is framed like a mirror.

02 an absTraCT TakeOccasionally you can find a pool of perfectly still water in odd locations, such as in this flooded forest, causing the ground to act as a mirror. When reflecting an array of branches we gain an abstract effect, with multi-levelled upside-down interest though the entire scene.

05 hidden refleCTionsThere are reflections virtually everywhere, and obscure ones can make for interesting images. This glass chess set, simply lit with a household lamp, not only mirrors the pieces in the board, but features an inverted image of the surrounding pieces in the glass pawn’s head.

03 refleCTions in porTraiTsWith clear enough water, and shooting at the right angle, we can add interest to portraits, with a reflection duplicating your model. Here we also have the opportunity for the model to interact with the reflection; this can be them reacting to themselves or simply touching the water’s surface.

06 level horizonsWhile most scenic shots look better when placing the horizon at the top or bottom third of the frame, reflected scenes usually work best with a central horizon. But we’ve still followed the ‘rule of thirds’ for other elements, such as the ship occupying the left two-thirds of this scene.

waTeR woRks SeArcH fOr reflecTiONS

VaRiaTion THe rigHT ANgle

You can find reflections everywhere – here are a few ideas to get you started

Different angles will give a variety of looks, so get the right effect for your reflectionlow DownThis results in reflections becoming taller than the subject, and more distorted due to shooting across the water.

keep leVelif you shoot level with your subject, the reflection will be equal in size, with a reasonable- quality image.

FRoM Up highWhen shooting from a higher vantage point, you will achieve a much sharper reflection that’s smaller than your subject.