Reflections

UW Health at The American Center, Madison, WI

This wall installation is one of the many possibilities I can create from a single session of reflection images. A gallery display like this combining multiple photographs is much more interesting than a single picture because it conveys a sense of movement and interaction with the subject.

Photographs in these galleries may print in any size with a 1:4 aspect ratio. I selected this format because it vastly simplifies capturing the ideal depth of field in the final images. Prints are laminated with a UV protective coating and require no covering glass or matting. A flush-mounted black frame for each print completes the installation.

Reflections 1 Gallery  

Reflection 1 Gallery contains a comprehensive selection of images that were considered when planning the twelve photographs shown in the wall installation above.

Reflections 2 Gallery

Reflection 2 Gallery is a second resource that could be used to develop any number of possible combinations for a wall display.

Creating Reflections

In a conventional photography, I select a scene or an object to shoot, adjust composition and camera settings, and then capture the image at just the right moment. Creating this series of reflection images requires a very different approach. I don't select the perfect scene, but a changing one that continuously presents a range of visual opportunities. I compose carefully, capturing the area of most significant interest and take a series of these images as the scene evolves.

The location next to the dock with sunlight reflecting on the water is ideal for capturing a series of reflection images. It's not possible to wait for the perfect moment and then press the shutter for each photograph because the scene changes too rapidly. Instead, I shoot automatically and collect a series of images I will select from later.

Selecting carefully from 100 images in a typical collection I'm able to discover those with layout and composition I prefer. This selection process is the reverse of the usual procedure where I would compose carefully before capturing a single image.

This wall installation is one of the many possibilities I can create from the Reflections Gallery 2 collection. In addition to water reflections, I select many other subjects with interesting, changing scenes with appropriate composition and framing. I decide in the final result whether to emphasize a natural appearance or to create a more abstract composition for each series of photographs. I usually feature contrast and other factors to add interest, being careful to avoid losing contact with the original location that interested me in the first place.