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Weekly Assignment #94: Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
edited October 26, 2008 in Assignments
Mirrors are great yet underappreciated helpers in photography. They provide unique capabilty of looking at things from different angles, at the same time often offering a visually appealing frame.
So let's take a picture of primary subject mirrored in a, well, mirror. Mirror frame should play a constructive part in your image and hopefully fill the image frame. Try to avoid cliches (like car mirror shots), unless you introduce some brave new idea to it.
Let's mirror!
"May the f/stop be with you!"
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    TrevlanTrevlan Registered Users Posts: 649 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Mirrors are great yet underappreciated helpers in photography. They provide unique capabilty of looking at things from different angles, at the same time often offering a visually appealing frame.
    So let's take a picture of primary subject mirrored in a, well, mirror. Mirror frame should play a constructive part in your image and hopefully fill the image frame. Try to avoid cliches (like car mirror shots), unless you introduce some brave new idea to it.
    Let's mirror!

    Nik, do you want to see the person, reflection and the mirror. Or just the person's reflection in the mirror?
    Frank Martinez
    Nikon Shooter
    It's all about the moment...
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2008
    Trevlan wrote:
    Nik, do you want to see the person, reflection and the mirror. Or just the person's reflection in the mirror?
    In this case - just person reflection in the mirror and the mirror itself.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    douglasdouglas Registered Users Posts: 696 Major grins
    edited September 29, 2008
    I know this isnt quite what this assingment is about headscratch.gif , but while messing around I came up with this and kinda thought it was interesting so I thought I would post it.
    382699318_tSwYR-XL.jpg
    Best regards,
    douglas
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    Joe'sMomJoe'sMom Registered Users Posts: 6 Beginner grinner
    edited September 29, 2008
    Sep 13 2008_3083_edited-1_filteredweb res.jpgHow's this.....shot in the bathroom mirror---lights on either side
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited September 30, 2008
    Joe'sMom wrote:
    How's this.....shot in the bathroom mirror---lights on either side
    "Mirror frame should play a constructive part in your image and hopefully fill the image frame".
    Re-read the lead post please...deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    GrlyGrly Registered Users Posts: 140 Major grins
    edited October 3, 2008
    Ok so I am stuck at home and had to work with what I have... haha

    How's this?

    385978721_PQgr7-L.jpg

    ETA - Oh, i just read your reply above stating that you don't want to see the subject infront of the mirror. I guess you can see the doll's hair infront of the mirror in my photo above... time for a retry?
    Anita

    http://www.anitamatthews.ca
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    davidweaverdavidweaver Registered Users Posts: 681 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2008
    LMAO....That's hilarious!!!!
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    GrlyGrly Registered Users Posts: 140 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2008
    Hehe :D
    Anita

    http://www.anitamatthews.ca
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    JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
    edited October 9, 2008
    I have been doing so much photography lately that I am litterally doing it in my sleep. The other night I had a horrble migraine...so I took some heavy meds. I thought I had a dream about taking pics for this mirror assignment. In the morning when I got up I was told by my husband that I was up about 1am taking pics of myself in the mirror!...Laughing.gifeek7.gif
    To my shock...I found a few images on my camera and this was the best one that is not embarrassing!ha!rolleyes1.gif
    390416175_SjRuD-L-1.jpg
    http://jagcreations.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=390416175&ImageKey=SjRuD
    ~JAG (Joyce) - My site: JAG Creations JAG Creations be a fan.
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    idiomidiom Registered Users Posts: 132 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2008
    Nice work for something in your sleep jag. ;)

    Here is something that I took today that I think matches criteria.

    33mm, F/8.0, 1/80sec shutter speed, used flash.

    390519764_Q4t47-L.jpg
    Gage
    http://precisephoto.ca
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    spb13spb13 Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
    edited October 11, 2008
    Here is what I came up with. I never really thought about a mirror having "depth".

    391715153_wyQdY-L.jpg
    Sean

    http://spbdesigns.com
    http://gallery.spbdesigns.com
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    davidweaverdavidweaver Registered Users Posts: 681 Major grins
    edited October 12, 2008
    Hi Nikolai,
    I've been really busy but I have a shot from yesterday that might work.
    A couple things about mirrors as I seem to come around them a lot in my work.
    Don't shoot into it with a flash. At best I'll shoot a subject at 45 degree if there is a mirror behind them. You would be amazed by the GOTCHAS in public places. I like mirrors as a bounce and bounce assistant for flash. They are neutral and sometimes help fill in. It will add a second specular highlight!
    Here's what I sent the boss:
    392740617_kwfBo-L.jpg

    and a crop of it:
    392740421_xchBj-L.jpg

    Not sure which I like better. Yes the color balance is where I want it and so is the focus. :-)
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2008
    Grly wrote:
    Ok so I am stuck at home and had to work with what I have... haha

    How's this?


    ETA - Oh, i just read your reply above stating that you don't want to see the subject infront of the mirror. I guess you can see the doll's hair infront of the mirror in my photo above... time for a retry?

    Need the frame. Reshoot? headscratch.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2008
    JAG wrote:
    I have been doing so much photography lately that I am litterally doing it in my sleep. The other night I had a horrble migraine...so I took some heavy meds. I thought I had a dream about taking pics for this mirror assignment. In the morning when I got up I was told by my husband that I was up about 1am taking pics of myself in the mirror!...Laughing.gifeek7.gif
    To my shock...I found a few images on my camera and this was the best one that is not embarrassing!ha!rolleyes1.gif
    http://jagcreations.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=390416175&ImageKey=SjRuD

    Joyce,
    it's a nice use of a mirror frame, but it' would be nice to avoid having camera in the shot...deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2008
    idiom wrote:
    Nice work for something in your sleep jag. ;)

    Here is something that I took today that I think matches criteria.

    33mm, F/8.0, 1/80sec shutter speed, used flash.
    Gage,
    perfect, exactly what I wanted! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2008
    spb13 wrote:
    Here is what I came up with. I never really thought about a mirror having "depth".
    Sean,
    nice concept but I'm afraid your DOF is too shallow. It looks more like a hole in the wall than a mirror... headscratch.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2008
    davidweaver wrote:
    Hi Nikolai,
    I've been really busy but I have a shot from yesterday that might work.
    A couple things about mirrors as I seem to come around them a lot in my work.
    Don't shoot into it with a flash. At best I'll shoot a subject at 45 degree if there is a mirror behind them. You would be amazed by the GOTCHAS in public places. I like mirrors as a bounce and bounce assistant for flash. They are neutral and sometimes help fill in. It will add a second specular highlight!
    Here's what I sent the boss:

    and a crop of it:

    Not sure which I like better. Yes the color balance is where I want it and so is the focus. :-)
    David, it's a nice shot, however, mirror itself only plays some secondary role here. I really wanted it (and it's frame) to be *the* primary subject of your image.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    GrlyGrly Registered Users Posts: 140 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Need the frame. Reshoot? headscratch.gif

    Hehe, that IS the frame :P But I will reshoot something different :)
    Anita

    http://www.anitamatthews.ca
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    davidweaverdavidweaver Registered Users Posts: 681 Major grins
    edited October 15, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    David, it's a nice shot, however, mirror itself only plays some secondary role here. I really wanted it (and it's frame) to be *the* primary subject of your image.

    I've FAILED.....ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    :D

    Okay...maybe I'll do better next week. How about a spooky theme?
    http://tinyurl.com/4publq
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    MikeInRochesterMikeInRochester Registered Users Posts: 11 Big grins
    edited October 16, 2008
    Knocking myself out trying to find a decent mirror to use.

    Is this at least along the lines of what we're going for?

    DSC_0140_crop.jpg
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 16, 2008
    MikeInRochester wrote:
    Knocking myself out trying to find a decent mirror to use.
    Is this at least along the lines of what we're going for?
    In a right direction, yes! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    I wasn't going to post this since I wasn't entirely happy with it, but I started to worry that if we don't participate more in the old stuff you won't post any new topics rolleyes1.gifand I just can't come up with a more creative idea for this one. This is me pretending to powder my nose while really checking out what's going on behind me. mwink.gif

    398145905_bTwhi-M-1.jpg


    Sorry about the really shallow DOF, I was shooting available light and just couldn't get a smaller aperature - because I'm so oldschool that I never think to bump my ISO. - f/2.8, 1/20

    And for the life of me I can't figure out where that shadow came from that makes me look like I have a black eye. ne_nau.gif
    Lori
    My Photos
    My Blog
    On Google+
    On DrivingLine
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    OffTopic wrote:
    I wasn't going to post this since I wasn't entirely happy with it, but I started to worry that if we don't participate more in the old stuff you won't post any new topics rolleyes1.gifand I just can't come up with a more creative idea for this one. This is me pretending to powder my nose while really checking out what's going on behind me. mwink.gif


    Sorry about the really shallow DOF, I was shooting available light and just couldn't get a smaller aperature - because I'm so oldschool that I never think to bump my ISO. - f/2.8, 1/20

    And for the life of me I can't figure out where that shadow came from that makes me look like I have a black eye. ne_nau.gif

    Lori, we need the mirror frame to be there deal.gifmwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Lori, we need the mirror frame to be there deal.gifmwink.gif

    That is the mirror frame...it is my little compact (powder) with a mirrored lid so the dark oof square around my face is the frame...the bottom section is the powder, it's sitting on my vanity with a tile border in the background. There's no more frame for me to get, that's all of it headscratch.gif The photo is bad, but the mirror frame is all there. Or do you mean you want the frame in focus? rolleyes1.gif
    Lori
    My Photos
    My Blog
    On Google+
    On DrivingLine
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    OffTopic wrote:
    That is the mirror frame...it is my little compact (powder) with a mirrored lid so the dark oof square around my face is the frame...the bottom section is the powder, it's sitting on my vanity with a tile border in the background. There's no more frame for me to get, that's all of it headscratch.gif The photo is bad, but the mirror frame is all there. Or do you mean you want the frame in focus? rolleyes1.gif
    As per requirement, the mirror frame should play an important part of the composition..mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2008
    Struggled to find an interesting shot.

    How's this:

    402261933_NqtSW-M.jpg
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
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    anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2008
    Ok... here are a few more tries:

    #1.
    402327942_z2kMa-L.jpg

    #2.
    402326814_QDfdG-L.jpg

    #3.
    402325154_Rw5H4-L.jpg

    #4.
    402328949_Wc7S7-L.jpg
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2008
    anonymouscuban wrote:
    Ok... here are a few more tries:
    Nice! Thank you very much! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2008
    anonymouscuban wrote:
    Struggled to find an interesting shot.
    How's this:
    Lovely! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    clemensphoto'sclemensphoto's Registered Users Posts: 647 Major grins
    edited October 26, 2008
    Doggie in the Mirror
    Here's my attempt:
    Ryan Clemens
    www.clemensphotography.us
    Canon 7D w/BG-E7 Vertical Grip, Canon 50D w/ BG-E2N Vertical Grip, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM, Canon 18-55mm, Canon 580EX II Flash and other goodies.
    Ignorance is no excuss, so lets DGrin!
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