How can a novice photographer take a good photo of reflection in water?

Reflective photography, also known as mirror photography, can be classified as a part of abstract photography. Reflection photos in water are favored by many people, but reflection photos are not easy to take, because it is necessary to set up a camera manually to shoot reflections, especially on the water. In addition, there are several things to consider in order to capture the amazing mirror image on the water. In this article, we have compiled some techniques of underwater reflective photography to help you take better reflective photos.

1. Get ready before shooting.

Consider the composition of the image before shooting and pay attention to the content reflected in the water. The theme that the reflection in the water looks great is the forest landscape, the lights of the city skyline at night, mountains, birds and waterfalls.

When considering the quality of reflection images in water, the calm water surface is a key parameter, and calm lakes and rivers are good places to take amazing reflection photos in water.

Even the reflection of water in those puddles found in the street after the rain can provide you with an excellent opportunity to capture wonderful photos of water reflection.

Close-up photography of birds and reeds or other grass protruding from the water and their reflections in the water can easily provide a unique theme for reflection photography in the water.

2. In calm weather

In order to get the best water reflection, you want the water to be completely still, so it is recommended to shoot in the absence of wind at all, because it will produce ripples and blur the water.

Prime time shooting

As a general photography rule, you should avoid shooting the reflection of water in bright sunlight, because it will bring you glare and dazzling shadows from the sun. On the contrary, please try to shoot at prime time (shortly after sunrise in the morning and a little later the day before sunset), so as to take better water reflection photos.

In addition, in the blue period, just before sunrise or after sunset, when indirect sunlight spreads evenly, it is the best time of the day, because the light is not so dazzling, and the water can be in the most calm state. It is a good theme to shoot the city lights behind the water before nightfall. At this time of the day, the special blue of the sky and the light of buildings produce dazzling photos.

4. Shooting angle

When shooting landscapes, water usually forms an accurate mirror image with land elements, so please level and raise the camera until there is an overlap between the two surfaces.

5. Choose the right lens

The choice of lens actually depends on the subject. If you want to shoot scenery, a wide-angle lens is the best choice, while a telephoto lens is needed to shoot distant birds or reeds on the water.

6. tripod

A sturdy tripod is absolutely necessary when shooting scenery. It is the main object to capture when shooting the reflection in the water, which greatly helps you to make a stable composition and position and adjust the camera angle in any way you want, especially at very low or very high angles. It also allows you to test shoot exactly the same scene until you get the best picture.

7. lens filter

If you shoot with a slow shutter during the day and want to capture blurred and velvety water in uniform light, you can use the nd filter. On the other hand, polarizing filters help to reduce some glare, make the sky look bluer and help you capture more vivid colors.

8. Manual adjustment

Using the automatic exposure setting may make your reflection look darker than the actual appearance, so please set the exposure point manually and expose it in water without reflection.

9. Hole

In order to present details and stronger reflections, and to provide sufficient depth of field to maintain all focal points, a smaller aperture must be used. You can also use f/ 1 1 or f/ 1 1 to shoot the scenery, or f/5.6.

Shoot smaller objects and areas.

10. shutter speed

Use a faster shutter speed to avoid capturing too much "blurred" reflected water and any other motion in the surrounding environment.