What do you call this phenomenon? Reflection? Shadow? I came home at 4:15 pm this afternoon. This is my neighbors East-facing garage. The reflection/shadow (?) is of my car in bright...

photog11 Loc: San Francisco

I came home at 4:15 pm this afternoon. This is my neighbors East-facing garage. The reflection/shadow (?) is of my car in bright sunlight across the street on the East side. This is almost like a negative from my film days. What do you call this? The tree shadow is actually behind my car... to the East.

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Beard43 Loc: End of the Oregon Trail

I think it may be the light being refracted through the window of the car and acting like a lens to project onto the door.

Ron

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

photog11 wrote:

I came home at 4:15 pm this afternoon. This is my neighbors East-facing garage. The reflection/shadow (?) is of my car in bright sunlight across the street on the East side. This is almost like a negative from my film days. What do you call this? The tree shadow is actually behind my car... to the East.

Of course it is difficult to guess from only a photograph...

That appears to be shadows created by reflected light. It looks sort of rounded at the top, suggesting a "lens" effect is the light source. That might be a rear view mirror on the side of a vehicle, for example. The sunlight hitting the mirror might have shadows, or the light reflected from the mirror might be shaded before landing on the neighbors house.

creativ simon Loc: Coulsdon, South London

I'd call it lucky, that you saw it and got the shot :thumbup:

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

photog11 wrote:

I came home at 4:15 pm this afternoon. This is my neighbors East-facing garage. The reflection/shadow (?) is of my car in bright sunlight across the street on the East side. This is almost like a negative from my film days. What do you call this? The tree shadow is actually behind my car... to the East.

Hmm, interesting photog11. Could it possibly be the result of conditions being just right for mother nature to have created a huge obscura? (But if so, wouldn't the image be upside down?)

MissStephie Loc: West Virginia

pretty neat!

LennyP4868 Loc: NJ

very nice never saw one on a door

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

That is pretty awesome! I think you better go play the Lotto!!!:)

photog11 Loc: San Francisco

Thanks to all for looking and commenting. An interesting point to me is that the tree showing on the garage is BEHIND the car. Camera obscura?