Throughout this series I've enjoyed so many little ah ha moments that create context and awareness. Where I might have been seeing (and shooting) on occasion without conscious thought, I can now go out in search of - as repleo mentions - "mostly overlooked" opportunities.

When I posted the below photo to chapter 1 I described as the sunlight having been directional, from the side. But since the grass seed was lying on a pond surface in heavy shade and the only light was the "bubbles" of surface tension (enhanced in pp), I believe this may apply to AzPicLady's and robertjerl's discussion of reflection as the "only light source" and "light of choice." I'm positive that if that reflected light had not been present, I would not have given a second thought to this as a potential photo op.

btw, I started to post a photo of reflections, that upon reflection, I realized were shadows, lol. Certainly it's not mandatory to our own enjoyment to know the proper terms, but having these conversations can certainly enrich our understanding and awareness for future opportunities.

I have quite a few shots of birds on or above the water, showing rather nice reflections of the birds, but I thought I'd leave the birds alone, and feature turtles, instead.

The place where I frequently hike contains a particularly disgusting pond. It is small, and its height is very much dependent upon the time of year, and the amount of rain we had in the previous rainy season. Algae grows all over the place, which means it's a perfect place for turtles. (The cattle like to drink from it, too.) There are times I can walk by this pond, and see fifty or more turtles sunning themselves on various logs. If I get too close, it's like an Esther Williams film, with synchronized diving.

Sometimes, the light is just right for some interesting reflections, and, of course, that light changes, depending up one's position relative to the pond. These shots were taken at different times of different years, but The Pond Remains the Same.

The first is one I titled "Turtles in the Sky with Diamonds", simply because it looks surreal. This is exactly how it looked, although I cropped it to eliminate the part of the original photo that destroyed the sky illusion. (That was the top part.) The light, from this angle, was perfect for reflecting the blue sky.

The second shot shows the water in all its murky glory, but the light and wind combined for a nice reflection. Clearly, this one was taken from the opposite side of the pond. The turtles always face the same way, no matter when I show up.

I included the third photo simply because the reflection is much more subtle. On this day, that pond was uncharacteristically clear. You can't really tell where the water line is. The reflections are so subtle that the appear, to me, as if I had taken the shot through a window.

Robert, you are too funny! After I picked myself up from the floor and brushed off the dog hairs from having rolled around while laughing (rotfl), I decided to get back at you by posting this confounding image.

This is not a composite. The trees and brown grass are reflections in the window through which I was shooting. In reality they were behind me. We're looking into a small chapel and out through the window on opposite side. Within this room the dias, candle holder and cloth table covering are lit by direct light coming through the window we can see on opposite wall.

Thanks for picking up the baton. Wishing great success and more fun.

btw, I love both your photos. The egret is mesmerizing for the wavy abstract reflection and the beak to beak position. The vertical aspect with no distractions, but just enough breathing room, is a very effective composition. Gotta admire those yellow claws too!