A Point of Interest (On Reflections #3)

Reflection is a point of interest in its own right, especially for symmetric images. The penchant for symmetry seems to be in our genes. It attracts our eyes to symmetric facial features of people considered beautiful and handsome. The same can be speak of photos. Verging on a cliché, a scene with the mirrored images on the waters has never lost its appeal to viewers.

(A Kaleidoscope of Trees: Taken in Mai Po Marshes, Hong Kong)

Symmetric images make the most appearances in architecture and landscape photography. Such images may connote a feeling of majesty, tranquillity or what you intend to convey by how you mirror a particular scene in composition.

(A Remote Village: Mai Po Marshes, Hong Kong)

A reflection is the point of interest not only for the lure of symmetry. A reflection is intriguing for it can also add an enriched visual dimension to the theme of an image. I like to make use of mirrored images to fascinate viewers. It is a great way to make them pause, look and think about messages in the photos.

(I Spy Something in There)

In the photo "I Spy", The boys is being playful with the mirror in checking out his oral cavity. I was ready with my GX200 and captured this image at the moment the reflection of fingers appeared in the mirror. Now, click open the photo. Cover the eight-fingers palm in the image and then uncover it. You should see how the mirrored image makes the point of interest more intriguing. The palm with eight fingers enriches the playful tone of the image and echoes the fun holding the boy's interest.

Taking about mirror, it is the most readily available source of reflection. Walk on the street and there are mirrors galore. Give yourself an outdoor photo assignment. When you are on the street, walk the scene and try to make use of a mirror to convey your messages in the photos. Let me give some examples of mine and continue the discussion tomorrow.

Comments

A Real Hero

(Grip On Reality: This photo was taken on my way to work. I was walking past trucks parking on a cul-de-sac when the ropes caught my attention. The light was right, the colour was right and the criss-crossing pattern was perfect and I held up my GX200. People passing by checked me out and wondered what could be made out of such a boring scene. To me, the fun in photography is that the photographer makes something interesting out of what is not obvious to most at the scene. The ropes tied in knots somehow reminded people I know who are in the grip of the recession) You must have also known a friend or two, or even yourself, being baffled by the spiral downturn of the economy. Bank went bankrupt and the rich was faced with a shrinking wealth. A friend of mine has just had his salary cut by over 10% and some of his colleagues started to be shed. But, wait. Was this done really for the sake of continuing the business? Or is there a factor or greed in it? I wonder whether the

New Low Prices

The window shopping some hours ago has almost provoked my AgIDS illness. Just in case you’re in Hong Kong or are coming here, and have the money to burn (All in HK$/ body only): GX200 = $3,280 GRD2 = $3,380 LX3 = $3,180 G10 = $3,280 Prices are available form a gear shop on the 1st floor of the Mongkok Computer Centre. Besides these new low prices, I found that Wing Shing Photo (55-57Sai Yeung Choi St., MK Tel: 2396 6886/ 91-95 Fa Yuen St., MK Tel: 2396 6885) is offering a Sony A700 + Carl Zeiss Lens package for HK$9,980 (hopefully, a bargain will make it some hundreds cheaper).

Eye Contact

(Leica D-lux 5) The digital era may make it easier to end up with fave shots. Even lousy photos may be turned likable after a few clicks in the post-processing workflow. But if digital advancement or amendments have any bearing on the cultivation of personal style, no photographers will need to discover his or her own photographer’s eye. Undoutedly, this is out of the question. Only with a trained photographer’s eye can we give a thinking gaze and capture an eternal moment, in our unique style. Style is the soul of a great photo. A few posts have been written in GXG to touch on the topic of photographer’s eye. Instead of finding an answer, which would require academic discussions, the posts are intended to give my general reflections and spark interests in moving towards further exploration of the topic. The posts can be viewed after the links: 1) Photographer's Eye: Storytelling 2) Photographer's Eye: Little Show of Observing 3) Photographer's Eye: Sight-Worthy 4

GX GARNERINGS

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