Reflections are beautiful things. They can convey a sense of symmetry as well as powerfully enhance an image. They can also be fun photos. Below are four photos - all taken from my Favorites Gallery - that reflect (no pun intended!) - each of these elements.

  This photograph on the left was taken at my favorite lake at my favorite Park (Bong) not far from where I live. It was taken around dawn, hence the subdued tones. The still of the morning air allowed the water to be completely unruffled thus perfectly reflecting the tree on the lake side, and the clouds in the sky. I particularly like the cloud as it serves to provide a bit more interest to the image. We could call this a landscape reflection. The mist in the distance serves to help bring out the starkness of the tree - a starkness that is reinforced by the reflection in the water.

By way of contrast, the photo on the right we can call an abstract reflection. Water again is the medium used to reflect the unseen objects above, in this case an autumn woodland scene. The colors, textures, and subtle hues are all expressed and provide a beautiful palette of colors reminiscent of an artist's palette. The vertical line, the reflection of a tree trunk that has caught the morning light, provides a focal point of interest and provides context for the surrounding autumnal hues.

Often, for a photo with good reflections, it is necessary to have the water be perfectly calm. However, in this case the slight ruffle in the water serves the positive function of adding texture to the image and actually makes it more enjoyable - almost a work of art!

  Rather unusually for me, the photo on the left was taken from a bus whilst travelling through Vancouver in Canada. I just happened to see the reflections of the adjacent tall buildings in the glass windows of this particular skyscraper. We can call this architectural reflections. The clarity of the reflected buildings is what caught my eye. The reflections comprise an interesting blend of realism and distortion. This seems a classic case of 'double take' - one can choose to focus on the building with its windows, or one can choose to focus on the reflections in the windows! It seems difficult to do both at the same time!

Finally, the image on the right, one of my favorites, we can call a mirror reflection. Of course, it is very simple, but to my mind therein lies its beauty. The morning sky is perfectly reflected in the water adding an additional dimension of interest. The reed out of the water is perfectly mirrored in the water itself. Look closely and you will see a slight shimmer of the reflection in the water - showing something both real and beautiful at the same time.