Photo tricks with mirrors

9 Impressive Mirror Photography Ideas to Try Yourself

By Taya Ivanova

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If you want a quick and easy way to take interesting portraits, mirror photography is for you.
All you need is a mirror (or several mirrors, if you’re feeling extra creative), a patient model, and a few tips.

1. Use Artificial Light to Enhance Your Model’s Features

A Hollywood vanity mirror will cast an even amount of light on your subject. Mirrors like this are ideal for glamour photography or behind-the-scenes shots. If you’re a DIY fanatic, you can make your very own vanity mirror.

One of the best things about mirror photography is that it offers unlimited possibilities. As long as you have access to a mirror, you can take photos wherever and whenever you want.
If you want to stay in, experiment with different outfits, and take great photos with a limited amount of light, you can easily do so. You just need to work with artificial light and DSLR camera settings that are usually not needed during the warmer months.
Artificial light can enhance your subject’s features. As you take photos, make sure you manually change your photos’ colour temperature and ISO.
Colour temperature will let you fix unflattering tones and ISO will help you take sharp photos in locations with limited light.

2. Use Manual Focus for the Sharpest Results

Depending on the concept of your shoot, you might have to deal with a lot of busy foregrounds and backgrounds in your compositions.
Because of this, autofocus might capture the wrong subject or not be able to focus at all. Especially if you’re working with a small f-number like f/1.2. You can avoid this by switching to manual focus.
Manual focus will let you capture exactly what you want. If you don’t use it regularly, it will feel very awkward at first. Don’t let this bother you!
It’s also likely that the mirror you use will create distortions on your model’s face. These will be noticeable only when you zoom into your photo, so they shouldn’t be a problem.

3. Create Space in Small Rooms by Using Large Mirrors

Both of these self-portraits are mirror reflections. I was able to freely flip my hair because the camera was standing a few metres away from me.

Small spaces like elevators have mirrors to give the illusion of more space. You can use this trick to your advantage when you shoot in small rooms.
If you live in a small apartment, you can use a large mirror to take mirror images of your subject from a distance. This is especially handy if you use a zoom lens, which typically isn’t practical to use indoors.
You can also use large mirrors to create more space between yourself and your model. This will make them feel more comfortable and give them room to pose without worrying about bumping into your camera.

4. Shoot Through Multiple Mirrors to Create a Surreal Effect

There’s a lot you can do with multiple mirrors. In this photo, the mirrors are emphasising the model’s beauty routine. You could use exactly the same setup and perspective to take a surreal infinity effect photo.

Surreal photography is all about otherworldly concepts and stories inspired by fairytales. Some surrealist photographers, like Rosie Hardy, use their photo editing skills to create unusual photos.
Others, like John Dykstra, use props and their imagination to create unedited masterpieces.
You don’t always need incredible editing skills or props to create surreal photos, though. With use of mirrors (at least two), you can focus on different angles of your model’s face and reflect objects that wouldn’t be visible in a photo with one mirror.
Here, you can also different reflective surfaces for better images.

5. Take Photos of Yourself and Your Model at the Same Time

This is actually a self-portrait that I made using two separate photos. If you want to take conceptual photos of yourself, you’ll need to invest a little more time and patience in your photoshoot.

Portrait photography tends to focus on those standing in front of the camera. Anyone behind it should be invisible. Mirror photography is an exception to this rule, as you can take photos of both yourself and your model in the mirror.
You can use this technique to add depth to your creative self-portraits. It can also be used to create more space in a photo or to fill in empty areas in your composition.
Make sure you use this technique sparingly, though. The more you use it, the more unoriginal your concepts will be.
Try creative these self-reflection portraits with broken mirrors for some added creativity.

6. Take Your Mirror Outdoors

There are lots of exciting outdoor locations that you can enhance with the help of a mirror. You can use it to cover parts of your model’s body, reflect a beautiful location, or even use it to improve your landscape photography skills.
I recommend using a small mirror outdoors. Carrying a large mirror is impractical. And it will make your photo shoot significantly more inconvenient than a normal one with smaller props.

7. Recreate Fun Road Trip Photos in a Car

You don’t need to go on an epic road trip to take exciting travel photos. If you have a car, you can recreate travel photos by simply having your model sit in it. No driving necessary!
Use a side mirror or rear view mirror to focus on your model. Make sure the background (preferably an eye-catching location) is visible, too.
This will give dimension to your photo and create a sense of adventure.

8. Take Atmospheric Self-Portraits

Mirror selfies have become so popular that they’re no longer interesting, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use them to create original self-portraits.
Instead of focusing solely on yourself, try to create an atmosphere using objects next to your mirror. The photographer in the image above used her bedroom to create a cozy and pleasant feel.
While most of the objects in her photo aren’t sharp, they still complement her pose and reflect her personality (no pun intended).

9. Use a Small Mirror to Create Abstract Portraits

Abstract portraits are unconventional and striking. They can be used to create photos that resemble paintings or simply highlight one part of your model’s face, like the eye in the photo above.
You can use a handheld mirror or a prism to experiment with this effect. A prism might make reflections appear more distorted. You’ll also have to focus very carefully to get sharp results.
A handheld mirror will reflect more of your subject’s face and make it easier for you to focus on them.
Since both of these mirrors are affordable and accessible, I recommend experimenting with both.

Conclusion

Mirror photography will help you appreciate unusual perspectives, try out new photography styles, and add more depth to your photos.
Even the simplest mirror can help you take your portraits to the next level.
So what are you waiting for? Grab a mirror and start shooting!

Try These 5 Mirror Photography Tricks

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Mirror photography tricks are interesting information for you to learn. Especially at this time, you spend more time at home and need other interesting activities so you don’t get bored while at home. Of course, one of the interesting activities that can be done is learning photography, including using a mirror as the main medium. So, how to do interesting mirror photography tricks? Check out the following reviews.

In total there are five interesting tricks that you can try in mirror photography. Before you start, you’ll need to have a fairly large and tall mirror (even if you need more than one), a camera, and a few of these tricks.

1. Use Additional Lights

Have you ever seen a glass with several lights around it? With the additional lights, the photos can look much more attractive. If there is no glass with lights around it, don’t hesitate. You can still use additional lights that are directed from several sides to display different results and the model still gets the right light intake.

2. Maximize Manual Focus

Each camera has manual focus and autofocus. If you want different results, then you should maximize manual focus. This feature is perfect for lenses with an aperture of f/1.2. Manual focus allows you to get the photos you want. Maybe the photo process will be more complicated, but the results are much more appropriate. The presence of glass can cause a natural distortion effect.

3. Use Multiple Glasses for Different Effects

As noted above, if you have two or more mirrors, try creating a surreal effect. The trick is to put the main glass on the front, then let the stylish model there. Then place the smaller glass on the left as well. To get a surreal effect, you can take photos that show the visuals of the two mirrors. That way, the results will be much more different than using just one glass. Interesting right?

4. Glass & Outdoor = Aesthetic

Photography using glass becomes more interesting if you put it outdoors. Yes, that’s right, you can put glass outside, such as a garden or balcony. For outdoor use of glass, it is better to choose glass with a smaller size. Using a large and tall glass makes your mobility more difficult. Smaller glass also makes photos much more aesthetic.

Read also: How to Make Mirror Reflection in Photoshop in Easy Ways

5.

Experience Atmospheric Self-Portraits

What do atmospheric self-portraits mean? Taking pictures in front of the mirror, commonly called mirror selfies, is the most common. But to present a different effect, try to find a better space to take photos of at the same time. Yes, you shouldn’t just focus on yourself when taking mirror selfies. You can take atmospheric self-portraits by placing the camera further away from the glass. Finally, some parts of the room or room where you took the photo can be seen in it.

So those are mirror photography tricks that you can try. To get more professional photos, you can use the Product Image Editing service from Dropicts who has experience in photography. Interested in trying it? Visit Dropicts now!

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Sleight of hand and no cheating: 5 most famous magic tricks

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Sleight of hand and no cheating: 5 most famous tricks

Sleight of hand and no cheating: 5 most famous tricks - RIA Novosti, 04/21/2012

Sleight of hand and no fraud: 5 most famous tricks

Every schoolboy can tell how to make a classic trick with removing a rabbit from a hat, which has already become a cliché, but sometimes even their colleagues in the workshop cannot unravel the author's tricks of modern illusionists. RIA Novosti suggests recalling five classic tricks from the arsenal of magicians.

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Culture

circus day. The modern circus is increasingly turning into a show at the intersection of traditional genres, pop and theater. But still there is one separate type of circus art that continues to fascinate the audience simply by itself - this is an illusion. nine0004

Every schoolboy can tell how to make a classic trick of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, which has already become a cliché, but sometimes even their colleagues in the workshop cannot unravel the author's tricks of modern illusionists. RIA Novosti suggests recalling five classic tricks from the arsenal of magicians.

Goose without a head

The first mention of tricks is found in the Westcar papyrus - an ancient Egyptian collection of fairy tales and legends from the reign of Pharaoh Cheops (2551-2528 BC or 2589-2566 BC e.). In one of the chapters of the book, you can find a story about the meeting of Cheops with the sorcerer Dzhedi, who showed the ruler a trick with the decapitation of a goose. First, the wizard tore off the head of the animal, and then returned it to its place, after which the bird came to life.

In the middle of the 18th century, the Italian magician Balducci turned a trick into a real performance using artificial blood and allowed a supposedly decapitated rooster or goose to run several circles around the stage to impress the audience. Despite the simplicity and unpretentiousness of the trick, illusionists still use it in their performances. However, modern magicians have abandoned naturalistic details. A fake bird's head is tied to the neck of the animal, and at that moment the real magician presses his hand to the body of the bird. After that, it remains only to tear off the false head and release the real one - the determining factor in this simple trick is manual dexterity and speed of movement. nine0004

Bullet catch

One of the most ancient tricks is the so-called "bullet catch" - a plate, hand or mouth, which is certainly the most spectacular variant of the trick. The earliest mention of the trick dates back to the 17th century, but only in the 19th century, with the suggestion of the Scot John Henry Anderson, who traveled all over Britain with this number, "catching a bullet" became extremely popular among illusionists. The tricks used by magicians in performing the trick vary according to the situation, the experience of the performer, and the audience. Some use blank bullets or squibs that explode inside the weapon and do not fly to the surface - the magician only has to hide another bullet in his mouth beforehand. In the early days of the trick, illusionists used special mechanisms that imitated the sound of a shot, smoke and sparks, when in fact no one even pulled the trigger. nine0004

In the 20th century, magicians began to work with the audience to make it more believable. Perfection in the performance of the bullet trick was achieved by the American illusionists Penn and Teller, who not only asked someone from the audience to choose bullets, sign them with their initials and load the gun, but also simultaneously shot at each other. Following this, the magicians demonstrated cartridges "caught" and sandwiched between their teeth and turned to the same spectators with a request to check the presence of previously made signatures. nine0004

"Catching a bullet" obviously implies deception, since it is physically impossible to stop a cartridge flying out of a pistol with your teeth and stay alive. Illusionists use decoy spectators or, to divert the attention of the public, with the help of imperceptible manipulations, remove bullets from a loaded pistol before firing. However, even with a carefully calibrated script and well-coordinated work of an assistant and a magician, this trick remains one of the most dangerous: more than 10 professional illusionists died while performing this particular number. So the famous magician of the late XIX century, Adam Epstein, when catching a bullet, used a special ramrod, at the end of which a magnet was fixed. Thus, while cleaning the barrel before firing, Epstein removed the bullet. But it was this trick that played a cruel joke on the magician: during one of the performances, a fragment from a ramrod got stuck inside a pistol, and when fired, it mortally wounded Epstein. nine0004

Disappearance

Disappearance tricks occupy a special place in the arsenal of any self-respecting magician. Objects, assistants and the magician himself miraculously evaporate from the stage. In 1983, American illusionist David Copperfield performed a trick that got into the Guinness Book of Records - the magician made the Statue of Liberty evaporate. There are several versions of how the trick was performed, including the use of a turntable, video editing and the play of light. There is also an opinion that everything that happened is a grandiose hoax with dummy spectators and a model of the Statue of Liberty. However, Copperfield himself still has not revealed the secret of any of his tricks. nine0004

Secrets and tricks of David Copperfield >>

A real virtuoso of stage disappearances was the conjurer The Great Lafayette (real name Sigmund Neuberger), who performed with tours around the world at the end of the 19th century. To perform his numbers, the magician resorted to the help of numerous double assistants, who were disguised as Lafayette, which allowed the latter to be simultaneously at several points in the hall and inexplicably either disappear or reappear. The main focus performed by Lafayette was, paradoxically, his death. At 19In 11, at one of the performances, a fire broke out, the flame from the ignited curtain quickly spread to the auditorium, as a result of which 11 people died - including Lafayette himself, who was trying to save trained animals from the fire. The body of the illusionist was found under the rubble and buried with honors and with a large gathering of people. However, a few days later, during the analysis of the rubble on the site of the burned-out theater, another body was found. From the rings with precious stones that the magician always wore on his fingers, it was established that this was the real Lafayette, and the person buried in his place was just one of the double assistants. nine0004

Sawing a woman

Now the classic trick of sawing a man into two parts is no longer surprising. Almost everyone knows his secret: the magician has two assistants, one of which plays the role of "head", and the second - "legs".

According to one version, the inventor of this number is considered to be a certain Torrini, who demonstrated it in 1809 in front of Pope Pius VII. According to another, the authorship is attributed to the English illusionist and inventor Percival Tibbles, who acted under the pseudonym Percy Selbit (P. T. "Percy" Selbit) and demonstrated this trick in 1920 year. Also, the author of the trick is called the "father of modern magic" Frenchman Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, it was he who first described the "sawing technique" in one of his books.

At the beginning of the 20th century, this number was incredibly popular, magicians stole its secret from each other, changed the shape of the box, complicated the trick using mirrors, all in order to surprise the audience more. This trick illusionists continue to show today.

One of the most shocking tricks was introduced a few years ago by the American illusionist Chris Angel. In the video, which can still be found on the Internet, he tears a woman apart with his bare hands, without using a saw, boxes, mirrors or other devices. The effect is enhanced by the reaction of the audience: Angel was helped by two girls who clearly did not expect that the trick would succeed. The secret was later revealed. In fact, two people acted as the "torn" woman: the lower part was "played" by an acrobat, and the upper part was played by a disabled woman with a very rare disease, sacral agenesis (with this disease, a person does not develop the lower part of the body). nine0004

Liberation

The history of tricks, the essence of which lies in the "magical" liberation from all sorts of fetters and shackles, is usually traced from the performances of Harry Houdini. Recognized as the greatest master of escape, Houdini became the ancestor of an entire genre.
At the beginning of his career, Houdini practiced spectacular stunts, during which he got out of handcuffs, straitjackets or closed water tanks in a matter of seconds.

In 1903, he was thrown from a bridge into the Thames shackled with an additional load in the form of a 30-kilogram ball, but a few minutes later he surfaced, waving handcuffs, and during a tour of Russia at 19In 08, he was released from the death row in the Butyrka prison and the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Complicating release tricks, Houdini turned them into real shows. For example, during a speech in Boston, Houdini, in a straitjacket, tied to a crane, frees himself in a few minutes in front of a huge crowd.

They tried to explain Harry Houdini's tricks by his flexibility and athletic training, as well as technical tricks. However, the author never revealed any of them, perhaps it was just ... real magic. nine0004

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

10 exposures of the tricks of famous magicians and illusionists

April 29, 2021 A life

Learn how to make the Statue of Liberty or a train disappear, saw an assistant in half, or simply walk on water.

1. The disappearance of the Statue of Liberty

Thanks to this trick, in 1983 David Copperfield became famous all over America. In front of the public, he made the main American symbol, the Statue of Liberty, disappear. The magician raised the curtain, closing the monument, made passes with his palms, sat down, pressed his finger to his head - and when, at the wave of his hand, the curtain was removed, the Statue of Liberty was not in place. nine0004

The clue

2. Orient Express hijacking

Another Copperfield trick - this guy has become a household name for a long time, he loves to make things disappear. With the help of this trick, he made an entire wagon covered with a cloth disappear. And although a group of spectators surrounded him to exclude the possibility of deception, the car still disappeared as soon as the canvas was lifted.

Solution

3. Walking on water

A masked man carefully crosses the pool on foot, literally walking on the water. At the same time, he moves slowly and carefully, as if the process requires the tension of all his magical powers. Also, during the trick, one woman swims right under the wizard.

Solution

4. Passing through a mirror

The magician shows the audience a huge mirror in a massive frame. Then he closes its middle with a black screen and simply crawls through the glass, without ceasing to flirt with the assistant. nine0004

The clue

5. Capturing the bullet with the teeth

This is one of the oldest tricks in the world, described in Jean Chassanion's 1586 book The Theater of Divine Judgment. In this trick, the illusionist is shot with a pistol, and to convince everyone of the reality of what is happening, the bullet breaks through the glass between the magician and the shooter. Then the sorcerer spits it out on a plate and shows it to the audience.

Solution

6. Drowning in shackles

Otherwise, this trick is called "Chinese Water Torture Chamber". The magician or his assistant is shackled and thrown into a tank of water, from which the victim must somehow get out. The trick was popularized by the famous Harry Houdini in 1912, but it may have been invented even earlier.

The clue

7. Walking with amputated legs

Unsuspecting spectators enter the elevator, and there they are waiting for a man who split his body in half and utters frightening screams. People shy away, grab their children in their arms and run away. This is the trick prank. nine0004

The answer

8.

Swallowing a sword

One of the most ancient circus arts is the swallowing of swords, swords, spears and other types of edged weapons. It is believed that the trick appeared in ancient India, and it is mentioned by the ancient author Apuleius in the novel Metamorphoses. The magician or fakir takes the sword, raises his head and puts the blade in his mouth, and then swallows it all the way to the guard.

Solution

9. Levitation

This is also a fairly common trick and has been performed by many illusionists. The magician takes and flies into the air without wings, balloons like Pennywise or Carlson's propeller. Simple but spectacular.

The solution