a twist on reality

Usually the reflection is more intriguing than the reality. Three figures gather under streetlights. I watch them walk upside down painting themselves onto my watery canvas. I wait for the wind to settle into a calm ripple and one figure walks off alone leaving two together. A story grows in my head, much more interesting than the real life conversation they're having. This is my twist on reality.

I invert the image to make it how i envisioned it to be. Grasses fringe the sky and reflections turn to paint. A boring evening by the pond turns fantastical with imagination.

Today it's a study of abstraction. Show me how you abstract, reflect, invert, and refract light. Wake me from this dream with your own twist on reality.

Comments

[Marcie]

Here are a few of my favorite twists on reality:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/2/7/molecular-biology.html
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/2/14/optical-illusions.html
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/2/9/outer-orbits.html

[Chantal]

that refract photo, marvelous work

[Kat]

Oh, that is well seen! Beautiful reflection, I love the creativity of inverting it to make it more like a painting. One of my favorite things in photography is exploring how reflections deepen and distort the light.

Here is a reflection in water I might have to try inverting too, since what you did is so cool:
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/07/natures-paintings.html

And a number of reflections in glass, which I find creates all sorts of amazing image-making opportunities:
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/08/exploring-with-camera-reflections-in.html

[Jennifée]

Well seen indeed - made for such a fabulous, mysterious image. I've been shooting window reflections a lot lately; I love the double-exposure feeling of having two realities combined:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/5518463162/

[Kristina]

I love to take pictures of shop windows with the reflections of the background!
http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2011/02/foto-focus-reflections.html

[Morgen]

Oooo, I love the picture and the story you created. I love people watching.

This is a reflection in the woods that I inverted:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearsefamily/5090678818/

This reflection was taken at the marina. If you look closely you can see the little row boats at the bottom of the picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearsefamily/5033991277/

[lucy]

a beautiful abstraction/reflection!

here's a play on water and ice and light and reflection:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyloomis/5501931483

[From Desk Till Dawn]

I didn't even realise I loved taking photos of reflections until my boyfriend pointed out the running theme with my photos. I spent an hour in front of a stage mirror he'd made me last night taking snaps. I also love the reflections and mirror images water throws. I'm brand new to photography so any feedback and tips from the shutter sisters community would be welcome! These were taken in Hampstead Heath on a rare bright autumn day, November 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48001229@N02/5528594625/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48001229@N02/5528585353/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48001229@N02/5528580987/in/photostream/

[Misty]

My picture hardly compares to the beauty shared here, but I'll share a reflection I captured anyway.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dontforgetthehorse/5503963520/

[ccap]

I don't do abstract very often. Not visionary enough for that. But, I did really like this bit of abstract I caught the other day in my boiling pot of eggs:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyblue/5511230124/

[Stephanie]

This post got me thinking! Abstractions are definitely outside of my comfort zone, requiring a shift in the way I see things. Good for the brain. I loved all the photos in this post, and I'm using the topic as inspiration for whatever I shoot next.

Loved Jenifee's and Kristina's shop window reflections. Here's one of mine from Savannah:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5427774721/in/set-72157625918654594/

And a refracted light abstraction:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5517332136/in/set-72157625905121392/

[Sandee]

It was perfectly calm when this photo was taken. You almost can't tell it's a reflection. Almost.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34977978@N05/5069340517/in/photostream/

[Brenda]

I just posted this morning about taking photos in the rain:

"Hook, Line and Sinker" http://bit.ly/ifXJ3V

Thanks for today's topic about exploring our reality.

[AnnGeeDee]

The shot was way more interesting with the blur than in focus. Here's the ice skating rink in the dark: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anngeedee/5522172533/

[sarah w.]

I have been playing with out of focus images -- paying more attention to shapes and colors. It's a fledgling project...but here's a sunrise:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/galphoto/5511803213/

[Roxanne]

Absolutely stunningly beautiful picture and thank you for the introduction of one of my favorite themes in photography: reflections and refractions.

In this photoessay are some of my favorite reflections and refractions: A little girl plays in a puddle reflecting the Acropolis and the Acropolis is seen through a wine glass on my birthday in Greece.

http://www.storiesofconflictandlove.com/2011/01/for-last-years-words-belong-to-last.html

[Holly { Soupatraveler }]

beautiful shot playing with all kinds of abstractions! here's a recent shot i took playing with light, reflection and inverted to add a new spin on things: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soupatraveler/5522418329/in/photostream/

[Jackie Wood]

Beautiful photo, love light and water.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackiewood/5529257371/

[Texan Mama]

Reflection - Lilypads

http://www.flickr.com/photos/texanmama/5420885694/

[Lizzie Staley]

I love you you have written about your photo as well as the photo itself. I could just see it playing out in my minds eye.

Next to a Loch was a marsh which had some puddles. They were so still and reflected the sky in a way that looked like you could step through the puddle and into another world. It was so inviting! http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizzie-staley/5048147783/in/set-72157624915993319/

Walking in the sky
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizzie-staley/5084173408/

[autumn sun]

this reflection makes my world seem even more magical than it is
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4719722564/in/set-72157614801393949/

[Mishelle Lane / Secret Agent Mama]

Here's an abstract I took yesterday. Natural Abstract: http://www.flickr.com/photos/secretagentmama/5527176901/

[Kimberly]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/junebugphotography/5496289432/

[Yvonne]

These photos are amazing...I wish I had half as much ability as this! Gorgeous :)

[Alex]

That image filled me with light.

http://wildfledged.tumblr.com/post/2103946490/reverb10day4
http://wildfledged.tumblr.com/post/3795254164/bluecurve

[patti]

this may be more manipulation than abstraction but it is a happy accident that makes me remember how much fun it is to play by the sea.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stakos/5529423676/in/set-72157626240105476/

[Cherish]

I love the dreamy reflections in water too. Sometimes it's nice to see a softer version of reality.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cherrybee/5521325560/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cherrybee/5111668508/in/set-72157625246146846/

reflection in a car window:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cherrybee/page2/

[joey]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19379573@N06/5530980838/

[Valerie]

I snapped a photo at an aquarium last week and caught two reflections of my toddler. The look on his face is one of wonderment and since it is a murky reflection, it is like he's wondering what it would be like to be in there swimming. It is an ordinary shot of him from behind yet somehow fanciful.
http://journeyleaf.typepad.com/journeyleaf/2011/03/monterey-bay-aquarium.html

[Jet Harrington]

Lovely. Reflections offer another interpretation - I had not thought to capture them at night. Just lovely. I too, imagine stories for people-watching. It's a writing exercise my daughter and I use sometimes.

Here are some of my favourite reflection photos - taken at Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle on Fourth of July, 2009.

More-or-less abstract (in that, it may not obvious what it is, if you didn't know it was taken at a marina)
http://scatterbeams.aminus3.com/portfolio/42.html
http://scatterbeams.aminus3.com/portfolio/44.html
http://scatterbeams.aminus3.com/portfolio/38.html

These are more literal reflections, still I like the mood captured at the marina - so quiet that night.
http://scatterbeams.aminus3.com/portfolio/40.html
http://scatterbeams.aminus3.com/portfolio/41.html

It is so wonderful to see all the different takes on this theme. That is much of what I appreciate and learn from here.

[Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Photo Blog]

I'm not certain if this counts as abstract, but I spent a morning in a nursery trying to get this image!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlygauthier/4453364768/in/set-72157623338861024/

[Lil'M]

You're right, it does tell a story and it totally looks like a VanGogh painting!

[Donna]

What a beautiful photo, and intriguing story too! I thought about it, and realized I have a few photos I can share. Thanks for unique subject!

Wedding cake - www.donnavercoe.com/blog/2007/04/26/wedding-cake/
Sun shining on the ocean - www.donnavercoe.com/blog/2011/02/20/sparkling-water/

[Donna]

My apologies, I messed up the links...

Wedding cake - http://www.donnavercoe.com/blog/2007/04/26/wedding-cake/
Sun shining on the ocean - http://www.donnavercoe.com/blog/2011/02/20/sparkling-water/