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Photography 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!

Creative Mirror Photography Ideas and Tips!

Ever wondered how to get those amazing creative mirror shots? Here are top tips and creative mirror photography ideas from myself and some other amazing ladies I know through Instagram. Read on for inspiration, tips on taking mirror photos with a DSLR as well as with a phone. See how you can shoot from below, with different size mirrors, indoors and outdoors! Whether you use a tripod or have someone to take your photos, these tips will make your life much easier I promise. Collect some fun props and get shooting!

If you don’t have a mirror yet, then here are some fun indoor photography ideas you can get inspiration from in the meantime!

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links and any sales made through these links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.

  • I use a Canon 77D for all my photos
  • My favourite lens is the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8

Creative Mirror Photography Ideas

Do a practice shoot!

It is not as easy as it looks to shoot with a mirror! Boyan and I went out to do a practice shoot so we could learn on the go. Don’t expect to get the perfect shot first time. Also if you don’t have high expectations then you may end up being pleasantly surprised! Play around with your mirror and see which angles you like best.   Try and decide whether you want just your reflection in the mirror or also your body as well as your reflection. Remember that mirrors can be quite heavy, so if you are planning on taking your mirror outside of the house make sure to take into account the size of the mirror you will use.

We used a smaller mirror for these shoots so that we could take it around and experiment with different places to shoot. This place is like a huge natural sand pit in the middle of a forest near where we are living.

Look for inspiration on Pinterest

There is so much inspiration out there! I find Instagram has a lot of amazing photos but it is much harder to find the good ones. On Pinterest, type in ‘Creative Mirror Photography Ideas’ and you will have so many ideas your won’t know where to start! I have been struggling since not being able to leave the house as much so it has been so much fun to try out mirror photography. This is something I have never considered before, so even if you haven’t done it before then just go for it!

Put the mirror in front of your face

For a totally different perspective, place your mirror in front of your face! Unfortunately there wasn’t blue sky when we went to take these, which could also have made for a great reflection. It was fun to do something a bit different and creates a bit of an eerie feel I think. I always love working with props as it makes photography easier if you aren’t as good at posing like me! A mirror is the perfect prop as it takes your mind off feeling awkward or not knowing where to put your hands. Also if you don’t have a mirror and shops are open near you, I bought a much bigger mirror for €4 recently. More mirror photos to come!

Jasmine Alley shares her creative mirror photography ideas and tips!

Put your mirror on the ground

By putting your mirror on the ground, you get a neat contrast of earth and sky. In general, I think that juxtaposing different backgrounds adds a unique element to photos. Here I chose a field of flowers for a pretty background, but you could try this anywhere! (Some other ground ideas: sand, a sidewalk coloured with chalk, on the edge of a pool, etc.)

Choose which time of day you want to do your Photoshoot

Also, anytime you’re photographing the sky it’s worth thinking about the time of day for your photoshoot. While I took this around 10am and got a big blue sky, you could think about doing a mirror shot at sunrise or sunset to add some beautiful colours into your sky background. 

Shoot with a low aperture (f/stop)

To draw attention to what is in the mirror, try using a lens that has a low aperture. That way, you create that blurry background effect and really draw attention to the object of the photo! I especially wanted a blurry background because the grass I put my mirror on would make for a really busy photo, when I prefer cleaner, simpler images. I took this photo with a Sigma 24mm/1.4 lens. 

(TIP: If you’re using a DSLR and don’t know how to shoot manually, all you have to do is set it to ‘A’ (aperture mode), then bring down the aperture. From there, your camera should adjust the other settings automatically.)

Raphie from Overpacked Suitcase shares her tips on getting creative indoors with your mirror!

‘Lean up your mirror against something that your photographer can use to stand on’

1. Find a cute space in your house with good natural lighting if you are shooting during the day. Alternatively, if you are shooting with artificial light, find a space in your house where the lighting is evenly distributed to avoid any unwanted shadows. It is all about angles! Make sure to scope out the whole room before deciding it will not work. Sometimes, the best space will mean moving furniture around.

2. Once you have found your spot, create the scene with any props you are going to use.

3. Recreating this shot? Lean up your mirror against something that your photographer can use to stand on, like a chair or couch. In my case, I used my bed. By enabling your photographer to stand right behind the mirror, it gives them better angles and more flexibility to move the camera into the perfect spot to get a proportionate reflection. If you are using a tripod, perhaps a chair would be more suited. Once you have found the middle of the frame, start shooting with the camera level to the ground, from there, start tilting the camera towards and away from the mirror to find the desired angle. Most importantly, have fun and get creative by playing around with the lighting, shadows and any props.

4. Last but not least, make sure to give your mirror a good clean before you start!

Angie from The Lovely Escapist shares her tips on taking your mirror selfie to the next level!

Bring your mirror outdoors

Mirror selfies are so common that they’re no longer interesting. I mean, there’s only so many ways you can pose in front of your bedroom mirror. So instead of taking the same boring photos over and over again, let’s get creative!

One of the best ways to spice up your selfie game is by bringing your mirror outdoors. Since you are no longer confined to the space of your home, there are a million different ways to take this type of selfie! My favourite thing to do is place the mirror on the ground facing upwards. You can always prop it up a few inches to find the right angle, but the ultimate goal is to have the mirror reflect both you and the sky. By doing so, you’re creating an unusual perspective. While viewers know the photo is taken facing the ground, there is an illusion of space created by the mirrors reflecting the vast sky. 

Tip: I recommend trying this out with a small mirror since it’s much easier to carry than a large one. “

Océane from @theblondieworld shares her tips on using a phone to create beautiful mirror shots!

Choose your angle!

Mirrors inspire me a lot when I’m creating content, I love the reflection and the opportunities it creates! You don’t necessarily need a DSLR to take a great picture. Here for example, I used my phone and I just made a great set-up so the picture will be creative! Pinterest is my favourite place to find inspiration for photography and there you can find a lot of different photos with mirrors!

The angle is quite important because you have a lot of options with mirrors. Here I wanted the picture to be “lifestyle” so it’s ok for me that my phone is visible in it. Sometimes I want something more “creative” so I make sure that the angle is good so the phone/or camera is not visible.

To sum up : HAVE FUN with mirrors!

Aggie aka Pink Lem shares her 5 top tips for mirror photography!

Top 5 tips for the Mirror Challenge

The mirror challenge has been all around social media for a while already and I need to say – I am loving it! Mirror gives us plenty of options to play around with and challenges our creativity! As many mirrors as many ideas! 

Here are my 5 top tips for perfect mirror shot:

1. LOCATION 

First you have to decide where you want to take the picture and what will be visible in the mirror reflection. Blue Sky? Plain white wall? Trees and flowers? 

2. PERSPECTIVE 

Choose the perspective. Will you lay it on the floor, hang or maybe hold? It all depends what effect you want to achieve.

3. POSITION OF THE TRIPOD / PHOTOGRAPHER

This is crucial! Put a tripod (or your photographer) in a position that they won’t appear in the mirror reflection and frames you exactly the way you want. For example when we were shooting, my photographer was on the left side on the mirror and I was on the right side. I could have barely see myself in it! That way we managed to perfectly catch me in the middle of the frame. 🙂

4. FOCUS

What will be in focus? Your reflection, you, both? On my photo my reflection is in the focus as this is where we wanted to drag the attention. I think it’s nice to still show part of you (the actual you), as it makes the picture more interesting and at the same you make sure everyone realises that that’s the mirror shot – not just a portrait.

5. ACCESSORIES

Think about accessories! You can decorate your mirror the way you like just to make it a little bit more extra! I attached some flowers all around to bring some spring and boho vibes! 🙂 

Have fun shooting! xxx”

Aline @alineadjemian shares her mirror photoshoot tips! 

Make it a mirror photo people will remember!

What makes an unforgettable picture?

Mirrors can be a great accessory to help you create a memorable picture. Usually, when we think about mirror photography, our minds go to the “ootd mirror shots” pictures taken from mirrors on the wall, but that’s not what people will remember… I like to think outside the box and create something different. I try to find different angles to bring new perspective to an image.

‘Get really close to the mirror by touching parts of your body to it’

Try and take your mirror outside, in a park or even to the beach for example. Put the mirror on the floor and lean on top of it, or even get really close to the mirror by touching parts of your body ie. your face. Placing the mirror a certain way can bring a whole new dimension to a picture and give it its originality.

Work with an editing tool to accentuate the colours

Use the mirror as a tool to showcase and emphasise the key subject of your picture. The focus should be on what’s in the mirror. Creating an epic shot also comes with some details. Make sure to have good and natural lighting and work with an editing tool to accentuate the colours you want to make stand out.

Do remember, be original, be creative and have fun!

Tina @ofleatherandlace shares her tips! You can also find templates and in-depth editing tutorials on her Patreon!

Connect your camera to your phone so you can preview when you are shooting!

Shooting with a mirror can definitely be challenging especially if it is a self portrait. I shoot with the Sony A7r III and I always connect it to my phone so I can see what I am shooting and where to place myself for the best results. The angle at which you place your camera will hugely affect the outcome of the reflection. For me I’ve found that when shooting a mirror on the floor, placing the camera at a 45-70 degree angle to the mirror works best.

Try cropping and flipping your photo for a different perspective

Another thing I make sure to do is set up the mirror next to a clean wall or backdrop – that way the reflection will not be too distracting. If I want myself and my mirror reflection to both be in focus, I set my f stop higher (F4 or above) but if I’m going for a more abstract dreamier vibe then F1. 4-1.8 really works wonders! What I’ve also found is that cropping a mirror shot can hugely affect the outcome! You can produce a completely new looking image simply by cropping and flipping it 180 degrees! 

I hope you enjoyed this post on creative mirror photography ideas! I want to see what you create! Send me your photos on Instagram to see! Remember, you don’t need an expensive DSLR, or a photographer, you can use a tripod too! Use different angles and sizes of mirrors. Take advantage of props, lighting and ENJOY! 

Pin this post on Creative Mirror Photography Ideas for later!

Harry Houdini's 5 famous tricks, the secret of which was revealed

Stories

Almost half a century ago, the world froze in anticipation of the great breakdown of magical covers: one hundred years after the birth of Eric Weiss, better known as Harry Houdini, his will was to be published, revealing the secrets of famous tricks. Many newspapers and magazines even left empty pages, and, as it turned out, in vain. It turned out that there was no will, and not a single notary's office had heard of it. This hoax has been dubbed Harry Houdini's last trick. But the researchers still managed to comprehend the secret of some iconic tricks of the American illusionist.

I didn't notice the elephant

Long before the famous Bombay brahmin (yogi), the son of Parva, the favorite of Rabindranath Tagore and the priest Iokanaan Marusidze, promised the distribution of elephants to everyone, the trick with the disappearance of this animal was performed by Houdini. Only a few times in his career, but the effect was so impressive that it was possible not to part.

Other biographers even say that Houdini showed the trick with the elephant only once. But when could the biographers agree among themselves? Be that as it may, Houdini's performance at the Hippodrome in New York at 1918 year.

The magician led the elephant in a circle, thereby presenting it to the public: here it is, alive, real, weighs under five tons, its name is Jenny, and then led it into a special pen cage. The assistants threw a white blanket over the animal, Houdini fired a pistol, after which the doors of the enclosure opened, the audience leaned forward - and found that there was nothing to detect: the elephant disappeared, and in a fraction of a second.

Researchers of Houdini's secrets believe that under the white coverlet there was another one - black or matching the color of the fabric with which the back wall of the enclosure was curtained. The assistants simply had to very cleverly cover the elephant so that the audience would not notice the double layer. When Houdini fired a pistol, the audience was distracted for a second (some even blinked in surprise). This hitch was enough to pull off the white cover: the elephant covered with black cloth merged with the environment like a real paratrooper SAS or chameleon.

At the same time, the imperturbability and calmness of the elephant played into the hands of Houdini: some hysterical squirrel would ruin all the magic by starting to rush around the enclosure. Modern magicians who want to compete with Houdini, instead of a double cover, use a system of tricky mirrors built into the bars of the enclosure, which rotate at the moment of the shot and create an optical illusion. Cheaters!

Exit through the cover

Houdini's talent for deftly getting out of confined spaces would be the envy of an Alcatraz prisoner, and just anyone stuck in the trap of a boring conversation with an unfamiliar and unpleasant person.

Breaking free from shackles was Houdini's specialty, he had no equal in this field. But the public should not be allowed to get bored, so the illusionist came up with new tricks, constantly complicating them. One of the most spectacular tricks in his arsenal is the release from a milk can.

A large can, about a meter high, designed according to Houdini's drawings, was carried onto the stage. Anyone could go up to the stage, inspect the container from top to bottom, tap and feel to their heart's content - in a word, make sure that the object does not have a double bottom or some other trick. Then the tank was filled with water, after which the magician squeezed inside.

The liquid was splashing out according to the Archimedes principle, so the assistants defiantly poured water directly on the head of the unfortunate Houdini, closed the lid and locked six hanging bolts (audience could bring their own locks to the performance and ask to use them to definitely exclude the possibility of deception). Then the can was covered with a screen - and the performance began.

Before embarking on the deadly number - and the posters did not skimp on such loud statements, promising that if the magician fails, death awaits - Houdini asked the audience to hold their breath for the duration of the trick: without fanaticism, as far as the capacity of the lungs allows. To heighten the suspense, a large clock hung on the stage, counting the seconds dramatically loudly: in the first minute, the hall respectfully did not emit a single breath, but with each movement of the hand, enthusiasm subsided.

By the end of the second minute, even the most persistent exhaled, and serious excitement swept through the hall: a person cannot stay without air for so long, stop the show! Of course, earthly life was not a burden to Houdini, he was not going to die at all: when the screen was finally removed, a wet but lively magician appeared before the audience, sitting on a can, as if on a throne.

He got out almost as soon as the screen was put up. The secret of the trick is obscenely simple: the neck of the can was removable. It was held on special rivets that turned from the inside. Well camouflaged, they did not catch the eye of even the most captious viewer, especially since he concentrated on massive castles and the search for a double bottom. In fact, the bolts served a purely decorative function: there was no point in them, given that Houdini did not open the lid, but simply removed half of the can, like the top of a nesting doll.

Wall? Will move!

Despite the fact that during the milk can stunt the audience found themselves on the verge of voluntary asphyxia, Houdini himself did not consider this trick to be something extraordinary. Houdini did not shy away from any difficulties in order to make the world talk about himself again and again, and time after time he went to a new level of the impossible. So, one of his most discussed tricks was passing through the wall. It was built right before the eyes of the audience, so that no one would doubt the strength and integrity of the obstacle.

The wall was erected on a stage covered with a carpet: assistants laid brick by brick and fixed the layers with cement. Houdini suggested that those who wished to climb up and check the wall: there were no secret passages and disguised manholes in it, the wall was really powerful, durable and impenetrable, like a prison of delusion.

After that, two large screens were rolled onto the stage and placed on both sides of the wall. Houdini went behind one of them, raised his hands, showing them to the public, and shouted: "I'm here!" People silently watched what was happening. A few seconds pass - and two palms are shown above another screen and it is heard: "And now I'm here!" The screen was pulled back, and Houdini actually found himself here, that is, there.

It was impossible to go around the wall - it was built close to another wall; climb over unnoticed by the public - too. All that was left was to go through. Even those who held on to the laws of physics with both hands began to doubt, because, as the whimsical classics said, when you exclude the impossible, what remains, no matter how incredible it may seem, is the answer.

But Harry Houdini is still not Richard Sorge, so he could not seep through the walls, but he had no equal in the skill of manipulating public attention, otherwise the audience would have rightly asked at the beginning of the performance why there was a carpet on the stage . And he performed his main function: he closed a hole in the floor. Hidden behind a screen, Houdini would sink the carpet, dive into a secret hole made exactly under the wall, and crawl out on the other side.

Motor, torture chamber!

Since cunning colleagues constantly strove to cut off a couple of spectacular tricks from Houdini, the magician had to invent more and more new ones, or at least complicate the old ones. So it was with the milk can, which began to show all and sundry, from imitators to charlatans. Houdini acted in the only wise way: he did not butt heads with windmills, but came up with the “Chinese water torture chamber” trick, reaching a fundamentally new level.

He ordered a special camera for 10 thousand dollars and immediately patented it out of harm's way. It was an oblong box of mahogany and nickel, the front of which was made of tempered glass. The chamber reached a width of almost 70 cm, and a height of 150 cm. Houdini was handcuffed, blocks were attached to his legs, after which they hung him by the ankles and lowered him head down into a box of water - the blocks were built into special holes in the lid, like into grooves .

The box was covered with a cloth, hiding the magician's suffering from the gentle audience, after all, a pleasant thing would not be called a torture chamber. But just a few minutes later, the illusionist appeared before the audience - without handcuffs and stocks, soaked to the bone, but not tarnished his reputation.

The secret of the trick was, firstly, in the design of the chamber lid: when Houdini was immersed in water, the slots became slightly wider, and the perfect physical condition allowed the magician to pull his knees to his chest and roll over inside the box. Secondly, when Houdini was lowered into the chamber, some water was forced out of it - this air pocket made it possible to breathe after being released from the blocks.

Thirdly, the lid itself with blocks was easily opened from the inside, which, of course, could not be detected by any spectator, whom Houdini traditionally called from the crowd to properly inspect the chamber. Therefore, getting out of the box became for Houdini a matter of technique and experience - difficult, but not impossible.

Run away!

Houdini's talent for getting rid of handcuffs was also useful during the performance of another trick - "release from a box under water", in which, like at a crossroads, all the complexities of his tricks converged: here you have both being in a confined space and your hands tied - feet, and water all around. One of Houdini's performances was held in 1912 in New York right on a barge moored in the East River.

The scheme was worked out and at first it even seemed boring to the public: here a large box appears, here the assistants shackle Houdini hand and foot, here they stuff the magician into this chamber, after which they wrap the box with thick chains, fasten the lock on top, and even drive it in for reliability ten nails. But here's what the public definitely didn't expect, so that the sarcophagus would be thrown into the water. Even Houdini can't get out of such a mess, it can't be, because it just can't be!

The spectators were, of course, wrong, or glad to be wrong, when they thought that they certainly couldn't be fooled this time. Of course, Houdini surfaced a few minutes later. But it was not his legendary ability to pass through walls, but the structure of the box. First, small holes were made in it so that Houdini could breathe when he was walled up in a claustrophobia chamber.

Secondly, the box was not solid: the two bottom boards were attached to the frame with a hidden latch. The magician was freed from handcuffs even on land: when Houdini was thrown into the water, he was already free. He only had to wait until he was completely submerged in order to unlock the valve and triumphantly swim to the surface.

Photo: Getty Images

Materials used Maximonline.ru

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