What Direction Does the Sun Need to Come From to Create a Reflection of Your Subject in Water? Early this morning I shot images of wild birds at the Great Plains Nature Center in...

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Early this morning I shot images of wild birds at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita, KS. While photographing a Northern Shoveller Duck swimming in their pond, I noticed that one of my shots featured a reflection in the water and I had no idea how I did it. What direction does the sun need to hit our subject in order to get a reflection in water? Can I alter the reflection by moving and causing the sun to be in a different direction in relation to me and my camera when I take the picture? Thank you in advance for sharing your comments.

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Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Shooter41 wrote:

Early this morning I shot images of wild birds at ... (show quote)

It has nothing to do with the sun. The water had to be flat- no wind.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Gene51 wrote:

It has nothing to do with the sun. The water had to be flat- no wind.

Gene...Gene...Gene! How did you get so smart? My thinking was way off. Now all I have to do is go back the the Nature Center and make sure that I take pictures of the ducks when the wind isn't blowing and making ripples in the water. It don't matter where the sun is! Thank you, Sir.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

If the sun is behind you, the reflection will show the sunlit-side of the reflected subject. Angle of reflection = angle of incidence. Works in the UK not sure if it also works in the USA. LOL.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Pablo8 wrote:

If the sun is behind you, the reflection will show the sunlit-side of the reflected subject. Angle of reflection = angle of incidence. Works in the UK not sure if it also works in the USA. LOL.

Dear Pablo8...When I took the picture, I was outside next to the duck's pond and the sun was coming over my right shoulder. The image was that of the sunlit-side of the reflected object being the duck. (There were no ripples in the pond, so Gene's comments were true as well.) Thank you for commenting.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Shooter41 try playing with a circular polarizer....

Circular Polarizing Filters can (and do) reduce reflections emitting off the subjects you're photographing. The effect is, darker deeper sky color and ability to see through windows and water that otherwise portray only surface reflections. btw, they are cherished by architectural shooters...

Getting it right in camera has fallen out of favor with today's enthusiast albeit commercial shooters know better...

Can a Circular Polarizing Filter enhance "Reflections"? Shooter41 this ball is now in your court...
Final thoughts? Bird on water or Bird in flight? Might take your visual statement to the next level with BIF.
Just a thought...

All the best on your journey Shooter41.
And please stay safe...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The angel of the sun doesn't matter.
The water has to be "mirror smooth".
No wind, no ripples, no waves.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Longshadow wrote:

The angel of the sun doesn't matter.
The water has to be "mirror smooth".
No wind, no ripples, no waves.

Thank you Longshadow. (Does a UV filter aid or hamper reflections off of water?)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Shooter41 wrote:

Thank you Longshadow. (Does a UV filter aid or hamper reflections off of water?)

Neither,
but a polarizer will usually kill a portion of the reflection.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Longshadow wrote:

Neither,
but a polarizer will usually kill a portion of the reflection.

Is there any filter or technique that will enhance a reflection in water like the one in my duck image? I would like the reflection to be stronger. if possible.

User ID

Shooter41 wrote:

Is there any filter or technique that will enhance a reflection in water like the one in my duck image? I would like the reflection to be stronger. if possible.

If you use the PL dialed 90 degr away from where it kills reflections, in some circumstances you will have a stronger reflection WITH the PL than you can get without it. Typically this is with the axis of polarization horizontal, parallel to the plane of the water’s surface.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

The angle of incidence! Aside from polarization and observation of the water conditions, as in many other lighting issues, the angle of incidence is oftentimes left out of the conversation.

Whether you are trying to eliminate a reflection or create one, the position of the camera in relation to the light source and the subject factors in.

The formula is the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. Practically speaking, however, if you are out on the water photographing a duck or out on the street try to shoot something through a storefront window and you don't have your CPL filter handy, you probably know that if you shift your camera position , sometimes only an inch or two, the reflection will minimize, disappear or become very visible.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

User ID wrote:

If you use the PL dialed 90 degr away from where it kills reflections, in some circumstances you will have a stronger reflection WITH the PL than you can get without it. Typically this is with the axis of polarization horizontal, parallel to the plane of the water’s surface.

The only thing of which I'm aware would be experimenting with what User ID said.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

E.L.. Shapiro wrote:

The angle of incidence! Aside from polarization a... (show quote)

Dear E.L Shapiro...I am very interested in your equation stating that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection because several of my duck images had no shadow. But as I moved around the edge of the pond, I got two that included shadows when the sunlight was coming over my right shoulder. Next time out I will try to circle the pond at about 8:30 am and see which angle gives me the best reflection at that time of morning. Thank you for your insight.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Shooter41 wrote:

Gene...Gene...Gene! How did you get so smart? My thinking was way off. Now all I have to do is go back the the Nature Center and make sure that I take pictures of the ducks when the wind isn't blowing and making ripples in the water. It don't matter where the sun is! Thank you, Sir.

Don't give me so much credit. I just have done it a gazillion times in the past . . . Nice pic and lighting, btw.

Cloudy day, no sun:

_DSC3803-NIKON D810-3007990-(14-05-19)-Edit-Edit by Gene Lugo, on Flickr

Similar angle, but after a breeze kicked up and made ripples on the water:

_DSC3699-NIKON D810-3007990-(14-05-19)-Edit by Gene Lugo, on Flickr