20 Effective Reflection Photos
Want to spice up a dull photograph? Take the same shot with a cool reflection in it and you’ll be considered a photography master getting faved all over Flickr.
Try it, you’ll thank me later. Here are a few examples to give you a little inspiration.
Two equestrian riders by mattbaird
Urmia Salt Lake by Mehrad.HM
Primary Stillness by macropoulos
Down By The Watering Hole by *ian*
It's a laugh... by law keven
Farewell India by Stuck In Customs
Real Joy by Todd Baker
Dichotomy by Pinsiero
Dance of Joy by G a r r y
Bent Beauty by Cesar R.
Adrift by Pascal B.
Reflect by Vandelizer
Ottawa River by ViaMoi
reflections by camil tulcan
YER BLUES by snowriderguy
Unbrand America by Ende
Reflex on "il Campo" by Paolo.Sammicheli
Chinatown, NYC 2005 by Graspi
at a secret mission by gari.baldi
Three of a Perfect Pair by bitzcelt
Got some reflection photos to share? Head to the Share Your Shots or the Critique My shots areas of our forum!
99 Responses to “20 Effective Reflection Photos” - Add Yours
June 25th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Reflections really do add so much to an otherwise flat image! This collection is really nice, my favourite being the mountain scene by Vandelizer, that one is just breathtaking!
June 25th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
These are awesome pics. I love the duck – amazing creature
June 25th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Great examples! Look for reflections around you. They are everywhere and used creatively can lead to very unusual pictures.
Below is my own example (self portrait):
June 25th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Sorry, link goes here for my comment:
June 25th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Well, I guess linking is too hard for me… one last try: http://www.flickr.com/photos/piotr_golebiowski/3659996052/
June 25th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I have one too! but it never helped to be a Flickr star!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22434106@N03/3080079683/
June 25th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Heres one of mine
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughlikemuttley/3539954876/
and another
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughlikemuttley/3539144639/
June 25th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Great! Here is one of my own reflection shots that I took in Cambodia a couple of years back too:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marksteele/286675980/sizes/o/in/set-72157594357030515/
June 25th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
@Lee The mountain one is also one of my favorites. I’m a big fan of nature photography.
@Pigon Nice reflection photo! It looks great in b&w.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:12 am
Some of the reflection in the photos above look like they were added in Photoshop… Hmm…
Here is my use of reflection – http://www.ilanbresler.com/2009/06/cuckoo.html
June 26th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Great shot llan! You really put that one together perfectly. I’m sure a lot of digital photos nowadays go to ps or some sort of photo editing program before being posted for the public to see. Other times, a photo can be so good that it surely seems ps was the only way they could get that image.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Wow, these are great. I’m a big fan of reflection photos, and if you’re ever looking for a great place to take a few, I recommend the a href=”http://www.travelinlocal.com/a-guide-to-walking-the-venice-canals-in-los-angeles/” target=”_blank”>Venice Canals in Los Angeles. Smooth water, great color, and wonderful buildings, plus, talk about relaxing. It doesn’t get any better.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:19 am
Oh, shoot, I missed one part of my coding: Venice Canals
June 26th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Those are some nice photos Lisa. I’ll put that down on my places to go list.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:31 am
One of my coolest shots is a self-portrait reflection in a camera:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danamarie593/581443130/in/set-72157619084376427/
June 26th, 2009 at 12:33 am
That is a really cool reflection shot Dana. I’ll have to try that sometime.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:53 am
@ Ian – your Cuckoo reflection shot rocks!
June 26th, 2009 at 1:50 am
Very nice!
)
June 26th, 2009 at 1:57 am
These are great. I have one too, tho not quite up to par with these.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52558449@N00/3546519529/in/photostream/
June 26th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Dance of Joy, Reflections and Chinatown stand out. Inspiring collection
June 26th, 2009 at 2:22 am
These photos are so amazing! But my fav is the mountain scene by Vandelizer. Beauitful!
June 26th, 2009 at 3:26 am
One of my daughter on an escalator. Something a little different the water reflections
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/2220905043_39de0afd56_m.jpg
June 26th, 2009 at 3:44 am
Heres my try:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maksbrook/3660630438/sizes/l/
June 26th, 2009 at 3:52 am
I have photographed quite a few reflected birds in the south Florida wetlands. Here is an example of the type of reflections we often see:
http://picasaweb.google.com/okreb1/ReflectedHeronFromBPN#5351095544992426322
June 26th, 2009 at 3:59 am
This is especially powerful in nighttime shooting, as these examples show (I think):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinryan/3193102212/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinryan/3158523136/
The best is if you can get a cloud in there, as well… it really adds to the symmetry of the shot:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinryan/2732669452/
As mentioned above, wet beaches are perfect targets as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinryan/3053563667/in/set-72157603000254329/
June 26th, 2009 at 4:01 am
ps) Beautiful example images.
June 26th, 2009 at 4:49 am
Fantastic shots-great inspiration especially Chinatown and Unbrand America
June 26th, 2009 at 5:16 am
Wow, those are some amazing pictures. Here’s one I did in the mirror of my eye with the reflection of my face (from the mirror) on my pupil. I must have taken about 30 odd frames and this was the best. I used a radio triggered strobe to get the flash right on my face and a wide angle with the camera and my face about 3 inches from the mirror.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mac_dub/3053067330/in/set-72157603437406346/
June 26th, 2009 at 6:29 am
I’ll eat my hat if the reflection in “Bent Beauty” is for real. It’s just a mirrored and photoshopped image.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:57 am
People seem to love this photo of me swimming around in Western Baray, Cambodia. I think it’s the eyes – both the real ones and the reflections
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38654205@N02/3660304769/
June 26th, 2009 at 7:54 am
I do love reflections
Here is mine
June 26th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Most of those are fantastic and some even quite creative. But a couple look fake, which is always disappointing. The Bent Beauty one (of the flower) definitely looks like a fake reflection. It would have been a great photo as is, and the fake-y water ripples ruined it.
June 26th, 2009 at 10:11 am
master of reflections, Gilad Ben Ari
http://www.flickr.com/photos/giladbenari/tags/reflection/
June 26th, 2009 at 10:32 am
very fantastic. i love the flower and the duck. the colors are very sharp. tnx for sharing i will definitely consider doing reflection in my shots! salamat po in english thanks!
June 26th, 2009 at 11:09 am
wow, great reflection shots. I had mine taken in Singapore Water earlier this year. Is a mirror reflection shots
http://gavingoh.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/my-first-work-assignment-in-singapore-waters/sg_water_6/
June 26th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I third the ‘Bent Beauty’ fake comments. The rest were lovely; that was just contrived.
June 26th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Love all the examples people have posted!
Here is my attempt!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21444707@N00/3646268159/in/set-72157620141612584/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21444707@N00/3648971166/in/set-72157620141612584/
June 26th, 2009 at 11:53 am
What absolutely incredible shots. I agree that the flower is beautiful. The dancers on the beach during sunset also great. I love the colors and clarity of all those reflections and the subjects . I will also try working with reflections some more.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/susan_g/2280853835/sizes/o/ might be of interest.
It’s a fake but not the usual way (scene -> scene & reflection) but started with the reflection and the top half was ‘shopped’ from it.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
This is my first post as well. All of these real nice shots have prompted me to show one of mine. This is the only reflection image I have.
June 26th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Beautiful collection of reflections. I most like the daisy.
June 26th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Wow, you’ve shared enough of your own impressive pictures to make another great reflection post.
June 26th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
really cool!
thanks dude!
June 26th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I love “Real Joy” and “Reflections”. Great work guys. Well I have a shot of reflecting clouds on a lake. I’d not regard it in the class of these pics. But I am open to critique. Here is the link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ignoto_someoneski/3121846289/
June 26th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
i love those on the beach. the water is a great mirror. couple of mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/susseau/3266565202/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/susseau/3260218810/
June 26th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
I did lots of reflection shots when I started out, thanks for reminding me I will have to revisit! Great shots!
June 26th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
excellent!!!!
June 26th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Excellent ones. I have tried a couple of those reflections myself. Request you to go through and comment.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/abyss3/3362547084/in/set-72157617759201973/]
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/abyss3/3363043212/in/set-72157617759201973/]
Thanks,
Ram
June 26th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
So many awesome specimens here of reflections. I have one decent sleeping mallard duck here….
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3464873324_b000e4f676.jpg
and one OK American Avocet
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3317/3485627050_a5fa6d7372.jpg
June 26th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Here is another example, a photo taken by me in the Slovak capital, Bratislava.
http://laci.blog.hu/2008/04/28/hattyuk_tava_ly
June 26th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
mirror magic;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindspooler/2793754766/in/set-72157606929827691/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindspooler/2793635816/in/set-72157606929827691/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindspooler/2792904383/in/set-72157606929827691/
sorry for duplicate, It’s ok
June 26th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Moments atr immortalised .Small but great for all.Thanks.
June 27th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Any tips for capturing reflections? Most of the reflections are coming from water. What conditions produce good reflections? Would high shutter speed help if its windy and water surface is not still? What kind of lighting produces good reflections? Top lighting (after noon sun), side lighting (evening sun) or overcast day?
June 27th, 2009 at 1:07 am
Great shots, here is one that I did back in Boston during a street photography shoot.
http://www.photoblog.com/skylar/2009/06/15/looking-at-people.html
June 27th, 2009 at 1:58 am
It’s really amazing how much a good reflection can enhance an image.
Here is one of my faves that I took outside of Marble, CO in the fall.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scingram/259939980/in/set-1474271/
June 27th, 2009 at 2:40 am
I love all of them, absolutely stunning images. Greatly collected.
June 27th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Oooh, I love these reflections. I’m not good enough (yet) to capture such great shots, but I do use an action to create reflections in Photoshop. Works in Elements too. The link is here is you’d like to use it also.
http://digitalphotographyformoms.net/free-actions/reflection-action-for-photoshop-elements/
June 27th, 2009 at 9:36 am
These are really nice pictures. I really envy the photographers. But, I just would like to ask, do the pictures undergo post production editing?
June 27th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Some of those reflection shots are fairly epic.
My most epic reflection shot was a candid:
Boy meets himself at the beach
June 27th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
some very cool reflections indeed, i must go out there and try more..
these are some of the shots i have uploaded, i always like the low angle, depending on what you shoot of course
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shoken/3646490368/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shoken/2201390668/
June 27th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Great inspiration
June 27th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Nice to see these photographs & i will try to take liske there
June 28th, 2009 at 6:38 am
I loved all of them… but “Its a laugh” and “Adrift” were great!!! Here is my attempt:
Chicago – The Bean
June 28th, 2009 at 7:13 am
I loved all the photos. But, “Adrift” and “Its a laugh” were great!!! Here is my attempt:
June 28th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Hello Mr. Kay:
What a impressive job of taking such great pictures. I am new to the photography. I just bought my first digita camera, canon50D. I am just getting my feet wet. Please give me some tips and advice on how to take such great picures. Also if you don’t mind sharing your technique in taking these pictures.
Thank you for sharing your telant with us.
Bharat
June 28th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Here’s my effort.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:32 am
For those looking for some reflection photography tips, here are a few links that may help you.
Reflection Photography Video Tutorial by Keith Clark
Reflection Photography Tips & Tricks
Water and Reflected Light
June 29th, 2009 at 4:04 am
What do you think about reflections??
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3621115501/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3621919932/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3604451104/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3577574619/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3349199777/in/set-72157603658363327/
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/2932167543_89151591b6.jpg?v=0
I like those two:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3559622761/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/3560429176/
Seem interesting, but I am only amateur:)
szukaj
June 29th, 2009 at 6:48 am
very nice superb shots…i loved the shadow of window in water…as windows are my focus i photography….
June 29th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27449997@N06/3626734406/
June 29th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
r these reflections real or photoshopd.coz dy largely look lyk dt…….can anybody tell me how to do it.
ds picz r just amazin
June 29th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Here’s mine
http://www.flickr.com/photos/servo101/3575281648/
June 30th, 2009 at 9:51 am
these reflections are super…. I especially liked the brick surrounding the puddle… great seed for thought …
you can also use it in macro photography… I took this (and others) on blackened window glass…. on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/al-ien/3611314331/sizes/l/
June 30th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Mountain Range in Yellowstone NP
June 30th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Absolutely great pix.
And in the spirit of sharing, here are a few:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbdweeeebie/3259335478/in/set-72157615635410284/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbdweeeebie/3548635122/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbdweeeebie/3547839291/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbdweeeebie/3341970189/
July 1st, 2009 at 11:37 am
I had taken these two reflection pictures at Disney World, Florida this past April.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kendawg69/3677229786/
This reflection pic was an accident:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kendawg69/3677227810/in/photostream/
Comments are appreciated as I am new to photography. All feedback, positive or negative, is appreciated.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I love this one – http://www.riccardogangale.com/CongoRiver/Congoriver23.jpg -
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:10 pm
This is a reflection shot taken at Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul, Korea:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9051281@N03/2813228037/in/set-72157606923725727/
This is a reflection shot of a lion at a zoo in Seoul:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9051281@N03/3034550735/in/set-72157606923725727/
This is somewhat of self portrait (best viewed large):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9051281@N03/3586941615/in/set-72157606923725727/
July 8th, 2009 at 4:46 am
awesome! awesome!!!
July 8th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Wow, these are incredible! My favorite is the one in the puddle.
here’s mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deedoucette/2950819427/
Lakes are great for reflections, especially first thing in the morning.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
This is a great tip! Reflections do indeed make a seemingly dull and simple shot look fabulous. I will be posting some of those photos on my blog soon.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
THis is inspiring!
July 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Some really nice shots, the tones in the second shot are wonderful. Thanks for sharing some inspirational work.
July 19th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
(Translated from Spanish with Google):
If I am not mistaken, the photo “Bent Beauty by Cesar R.” is post-processed with the Photoshop plugin FLOOD. The reveals the horizon, unnatural. As in the other photos of his Flirk page.
I recognize that the effect is nice, but should not show how to get in the shot …
July 24th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Small typo noted: Actually, “mattbaird” above is me “mikebaird” – Cheers! mike [at} mikebaird d o t com
August 27th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Some lovely pictures there. The Taj Majhal one is a favourite, anyone any idea where the mountain one was taken?
September 13th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Wow…so awesome pictures…I wish I had one to show!!
October 29th, 2009 at 3:51 am
beautiful photos here..i love reflection shots..
posting a link to one of my own….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dream_maze/3356537994/
December 6th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
beautiful but “bent beauty” is here by mistake….it’s not a real reflection, it’s made with photoshop and it’s obvious. My fav is Unbrand America. great pic
December 27th, 2009 at 1:47 am
Here is mine from Beijing
December 28th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Awesome!!!
January 9th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Here’s a shot I took of Skyway bridge at Tampa
January 29th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
astonishing images..yea a reflection surely wakes up a boring pic 2 a spectacular one..Adrift by pascal is a perfect shot..the reflection is mirror clear..
January 30th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Another one of my fav reflection photos of a Heron.
May 21st, 2010 at 2:44 am
Here are my most interesting reflexion pics:
December 30th, 2010 at 12:57 am
here is a few I took today, my first attempt at reflections,this first one is very simple that is why i was drawed to it,
January 28th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aramalia/5391533613/
February 4th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
I took this reflection shot of the Sikh monument called Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in New Delhi
http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=1440293
May 3rd, 2011 at 2:22 pm
i loved the guitar one <3
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