Using Reflections to Create Texture and Layers in Street Photographs

I read somewhere once in an old photography manual that it’s a common mistake to include oneself in a photograph accidentally in a reflection or otherwise. I’d say, according to other well-known photographers, from Vivian Maier to Man Ray, using reflections to photograph oneself is just fine. Now, with the advent of the selfie, it seems to me that the creative self-portrait becomes even more meaningful in the contemporary social media milieu.

Using reflection, of course, doesn’t have to be limited to self-portraits. There’s a long history of reflective surfaces and windows in street photography going back to Henri Cartier-Bresson and the advent of street photography as craft. But it might arguably be Saul Leiter, one of my favorites, who took this art to a new level, using reflection to advance color photography towards expressionism.

In my personal experiments with reflection and street photography, there isn’t really a right or wrong. I’ve found that reflection is interesting on the macro or micro level, abstract or realistic. It can show the world as it is, as it ought to be, or something not of this world at all.

Above, the natural and man-made worlds collide. Glass-sided buildings offer large-scale mimicry of colors and textures. I found this shot interesting more for the unfinished parts of the building at first, but the windows added symmetry and more blues to the image. Notice the corner of the building on the right reflecting its own symmetry which adds a subtle element of illusion to the photograph as well.

Sometimes it’s okay to create chaos in a photograph (as shown above). The “OPEN” sign in the background faces toward the inside of the shop, so the careful viewer will infer that this is a picture of a man working after hours. The added signs and phone number on the window give this photograph extra depth, while the mirror at the back of the shop gives a continuous feel to this photograph. Add the street lines on top of that plus the accidental legs of the photographer in the lower left corner, reflected in the shop’s window, and there is a lot going on in this shot. To me, this photo is busy but helped by the fact there are a few different focal points to direct the viewer in regard to the various layers: the clear “CLOSED SUNDAY” text on the window, the man at the machine, and the reversed open sign signaling a mirror.

Another “OPEN” sign. Neon’s great for color and immediately attracting attention. In the case of this photograph, it’s in-your-face position in the photograph reveals the building opposite the window, and the yellow of the shop’s interior contrasts to reveal the subjects inside the store going about their business. Again, another paper sign on the store window adds more depth. Also, the store’s florescent overhead lighting frames the neon sign nicely.

Light from within can be really important after dark. The dark outside the shop acts as a natural frame within a frame here. I would later go on to rotate this picture slightly so that the window is parallel with the frame of the picture, but the important thing to notice here is that the woman’s face is well-lit by an unseen hanging lamp behind the “Gyros” neon, making this shot possible. An additional layer of white light is added by the refrigerator behind the woman.

Sometimes a shop window is good as-is, with a layer of glass adding a softening layer or a speck of light here and there, altering an image just slightly. This image has a ghostly texture, which complements the clothing styles hearkening back to an earlier era of fashion.

I have a soft spot in my heart for these mirrors, which are positioned at parking garages all over Seattle. Arrows are a funny way to add some humor: this one points to the obvious subject of the self-portrait, me. I like this shot because of the silhouette of the tree cast against the inky blue backdrop of the night sky. It contrasts well with the harsh light of the parking garage.

The colors of the kitchen turned out a little bit yellow for my taste, but that brought out the greens and reds that make this photograph interesting. I love the texture the paper wheels just beyond the window add. The subject is just barely visible through all the noise, but it creates a window into the after-hours solitude of the moment captured.

Other than a few odd colors sprinkled throughout, this shot is pretty clean. The clear window glass added a nice shine to the more vibrant colors.

In this shot, a tree outside the window adds dimension and texture to the overall photograph. I often try to make sure that the frame of a window frames my shot (above left side), suggesting a more physical boundary than only the picture frame itself.

The arch and trees on the other side of the street make this photograph more appealing to the eye. There’s still a cue to the reflection where the flowers overlap the arch. The vibrant color of the flowers almost make the man in the background an afterthought.

(Above) There’s more commotion here with sewing machines, street walkers, ad models, street lights, trees, clothes and the self-portrait. This might be overly busy, but the picture becomes more abstract without a specific focal point.

The “LOVE” scrawled on the particle board in the above photograph caught my eye at first, but then I noticed how nicely the buildings paired together in the background. Add the color of the green door, and the result is one of my favorites from the series.

The shot above was of a street advertisement reflecting the street across from it. This one almost has a double-exposure feel to it, but it’s just one shot. Since this is Seattle, I suppose an extra layer can add a little symbolism just as easily.