Reflections
Small, still lakes are wonderful places to find a reflective surface. In this photo, you can see the lake rippling, but not quite enough to destroy the reflection.
Reflections are popular because they create visually striking photos without requiring a large amount of technical skill. The most difficult part of shooting reflections is finding opportunities. Still alpine lakes are excellent places, and learning to read maps can help you find them in the backcountry. Flat, frozen surfaces can also be excellent places for reflections, but they may be cloudy from frost or sediment. Salt flats can also be gorgeous under the right conditions. Wherever you explore, always remember to Leave No Trace.
The actual trick of capturing the reflection is quite simple. Once you’ve found water, you may need to change perspectives to get the ideal shot. A camera captures light, and changing the angle at which you view the light striking the surface of the lake can have a huge impact on the final image.
Early morning is an excellent time to shoot reflections on lakes. The air is likely to be cold and still from the night, the surface of the water is more likely to be undisturbed, and the light will be soft. You’ll still need to be mindful of all the lessons and compose a good photo. Just as importantly, you’ll probably need to edit your photo to ensure your horizon line is level and exactly where you want it. In the first two photos, the horizon is set directly in the middle of the frame, making the top and bottom symmetrical. This is the most common way to shoot reflections. Sometimes it’s appropriate to set the horizon line on the grid of thirds. Other times, a reflection is only used to enhance the subject rather than being the entire focus of the image.
Alpine lakes are not the only places to find reflections. Sometimes swift moving, murky water can make a beautiful reflection. The photo on the left is a dirty river in Maine. The reflection emphasizes soft light striking the golden autumn leaves in an otherwise drab scene. The image on the right is meant to convey the feeling of walking into the forest the day after storms have ended. The camera was only a few inches from the ground, which temporarily transforms a dirty puddle into a reflecting pool. The vanishing point is one third from the top, even though the reflection appears to split the image in half.
This river in Ohio already looks like a spooky swamp. The reflection enhances the setting.
As you experiment with reflections, you’ll find more surfaces that can be used to reflect the world around them - and you’ll find more interesting ways of using those reflections. The photo on the left uses a horizon line that’s off-center and obscured by fog. A small outcrop on the left adds depth to the shot and shows how dense the forest is, even without leaves. Jagged branches from the foreground make the scene even more chaotic. The straightforward, symmetrical approach used in the first two photos wouldn’t work in this situation, but the reflection can still greatly amplify the eerie mood of the photo.
The easiest way to get incredible photos of reflections is to find a cold, still lake. As you continue to practice, you’ll also find dirty puddles, frozen streams, broken glass, and more.