Reflections on Street Photography

Posted by David Travis on 14 Dec 2018

Reflections on Street Photography

My aim with this project was to create a story around the idea of 'reflections'.

I spent much of this week working in Central London and found myself combining the reflections theme with street photography. When I looked over my images, they fell into three groups.

  • Semi-abstract reflection images.
  • Candid street photographs that didn't have any reflections (although I was shooting to a theme, I couldn't stop myself).
  • A combination of candid street photographs and reflections.

I thought the combination told the best story, so that's what I'm presenting here. It turned out that photographing people's reflections was a great way to get some candid street portraits, since no-one seemed to realise I was photographing them. I just looked like a crazy person.

Here are my favourites from the week.

I shot several images through glass windows. I liked the abstract combination of the two worlds.

All images shot with Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mk II with 25mm f/1.8 M-Zuiko lens. This image: 1/15s, f/5, ISO 1600.

I'm not sure if this person was taking a selfie or if he was just curious about what I was photographing and decided to follow suit.

1/60s, f/3.5, ISO 1600.

This person definitely thought I was crazy, taking a picture of a sign with opening times on it. I have a string of pictures where he's looking at me as if I'm mad.

1/100s, f/4, ISO 4000.

There's a preference amongst street photographers to present their images in black and white. I did try a black and white look for these images but because the reflections have low brightness contrast, it's sometimes hard to make out the two 'worlds': the subject and the reflection.

1/250s, f/4, ISO 3200.

This shop window had a number of mirrors and was like photographing through a prism.

1/250s, f/4, ISO 3200.

This night shot is another example of where I think colour really adds to the mood of the image.

1/160s, f/1.8, ISO 2500.

Only in London can I perch myself two inches above a puddle with a camera in my hand and get totally ignored.

1/60s, f/4, ISO 1600.

1/400s, f/2.2, ISO 1250.

This woman was totally absorbed in a phone call so I had time to arrange the composition as a symmetrical reflection.

1/500s, f/4, ISO 3200.

When you start looking, you begin to realise how many mirror-like surfaces there are in the world.

1/125s, f/4, ISO 1250.

1/320s, f/4, ISO 1600.

1/250s, f/4, ISO 1600.

1/250s, f/1.8, ISO 2500.


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