Photographing Reflections : 3 Key Tips For Capturing Reflections Within Photos

one of my favorite things to capture within the frame is a reflection.  it is something that i find to be a beautiful surprise and is an element that not only adds depth to an image, but it adds a great sense of balance.  photographing reflections is something that is really easy to do, but you have to be mindful about where you place your camera and what angle you photograph from to be successful with it.  if you notice an opportunity to photograph a reflection of some sort, be sure to keep the following 3 key tips in mind to help you successfully incorporate a reflection into your image.

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Photographing Reflections: 3 Key Tips For Capturing Reflections Within Photos

1.  Get Low

reflections can often be found on shiny surfaces such as granite countertops, mirrors, windows, a body of water, etc.  in the photo above, i noticed an opportunity to photograph a reflection of my little girl being reflected in the countertop in our kitchen.  the key to photographing a balanced reflection is to get low with your camera.  for the image above, i set my camera on the countertop to take this photo, allowing both my daughter and the countertop to equally take up the frame and, therefore, capture her reflection as well.

to learn more about getting into the frame with your kids, be sure to read my guide to self portraits for tips on how to take self portraits with a dslr.

2.  Look For Darker Backgrounds

if you are trying to capture a reflection straight on, look for darker backgrounds so your reflection pops and can be seen easily.  for the image above, i wanted to photograph the reflection of my friends and i in a window.  it took a few tries but, after finding a window with a darker curtain background, i was able to photograph a reflection where you could actually see us.

3.  Back Up

just like you got low to capture your reflection, make sure you also back up.  backing up with ensure that you photograph your entire reflection and don’t cut it off.  make sure you are composing for your object and it’s entire reflection as well.  backing up will help you ensure that you are photographing the entire object and reflection.  it’s important that you photograph the entire reflection because it can be confusing to your viewer to chop off what is being reflected.  in the image above, i backed up to make sure that i captured the entire reflection of the lens on the glass table.

photographing reflections is really fun and is something that is very addicting, once you get the hang of it.  challenge yourself to look for reflective surfaces and reflection opportunities as you go about your everyday.  once you find an opportunity to capture a reflection, be sure to back up, get low and consider a darker background if photographing head on.

check out my latest ebook, the everyday photograph.  it’s a guide to seeing the beauty of your everyday!

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