Reflection photography

Common tern catching a fish.
the ripples in the water makes the reflection slightly blurred

 How hard is it to get a photograph of something in a reflection in the water? Very is the answer. This makes it just more rewarding to do. Especially when you combine it with an action shot.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when photographing reflections in the water.

1. still water or blurred water
2. where is your light source
3. Using a polarizer? 

1: Still water or blurred water.

What type of water do you need to get a certain shot. Still water makes a different reflection than a blurred water. When there is no wind at all the water is still this type of water makes a prefect reflection in your shot. Blurred water makes you reflection look like it is blurred/out of focus.  

a coot running over the water.
the a still as possible water keeps the reflection looking sharp.

2: where is your light source.

The lighting of your subject is the most important to get a good reflection. When you are shooting with the water and your subject being lit by the same light source there will be almost no reflection. Keeping light off the water is a difficult thing to do. When the sun is low (like sunset and sunrise) most of the light hits your subject instead of the water. In conjunction with the low angle of the light source you should keep your camera as low as possible. keeping it at eye level of you subject is the best thing to do. Not just for lighting but also for composition.

3: Using a polarizer?

What do polarizer do? they cut of glare from a shiny surface. So this is a artistic choice. It depends on what you want to capture in a photograph.

This were my tips on photographing reflections in water. I hope you find this useful.   

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I am Claes Touber a Dutch Photographer. My photography spreads from landscape photography to wildlife photography. 

These forms of photography give me more opportunities to capture emotions that will for fill me. Every day there is a new opportunity and a new adventure waiting to capture. 

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