Experiments with reflections

I've been experimenting today with taking photographs of reflections. Nothing very arty yet like reflections in water. I tried that yesterday but it was so overcast and dull the photographs were too dark.

The reflections theme is in response to Kat's challenge on her wonderful blog. It's also part of an exercise I'm doing on bracketing which is where you set up the camera to take three quick shots of the image, one with the settings you choose and the other two +7 or -7 (or +3 and -3). Then you can compare the different exposures and choose the best picture. I'm really chuffed to say that my manual setting was the best of the three for this shot.

I love the colours (or lack of colours) in this photo. It's almost black and white but not. It's a corner of my bedroom which is in the loft so the light comes in strongly and is reflected round the white walls. The strong frame of the mirror makes a good composition I think.

I'm a little embarrassed about this experiment because I hate having pictures of myself taken - I'm totally un-photogenic! But sticking a camera in front of my face makes me a little easier with including it.

Getting the exposure right was a bit of a balancing act which inevitably ended in a compromise. I wanted to be able to show the intricate carving on the little mirror (which I love) but unfortunately doing that made the image in the mirror somewhat over-exposed. This was at the other end of my bedroom, next to another window and the sunlight coming in was very strong. I may try it again when the light's less harsh.

Natural patterns

This is a photograph I took last year on a beach in Scotland. I love the patterns in the rock formations and the subtle differences in the colours.

It was a sunny day and there was a deep shadow on the left of the photograph which obscured some of the beauty of the rock forms. I adjusted it in Photoshop Elements and I think it looks OK now. I'm a rank amateur as far as taking photographs is concerned so I'm always worried that I haven't got it quite right.

I also find it difficult working on the laptop because if I alter the angle of the screen it alters the colours and contrast in the image. I guess the only way to really find out if it's right is to print it out properly on decent photo paper. But since this is most likely to only ever be viewed on a computer screen the problem remains.

I've been taking lots of photos recently because I have a new camera, a Sony NEX-5. I have two lenses for it - a 16mm pancake lens and an 18-55 zoom. The only other one they make for the camera is an 18-200 zoom, although there is a convertor which makes the whole range of Sony a lenses plus some Minolta lenses available. I'm thinking about Christmas and need to have a plan of action ready in case someone decides to give me a lens!! I shall have to do some research...