Byodo-In Temple, Hawaii - Mirror Image
Photo Processing

Before and After Examples of Mirror Images

Not every photograph works well for a mirror image.  However, more types of images will work than you think.  I’ve done mirror images with landscapes, buildings, macro, flowers and more. 

Mirror images creates a sense of balance in the photograph.  When choosing a photograph to turn into a mirror image, try to envision the photograph cropped, flipped, and duplicated.  Look for where you would crop the image that will be the center point of your mirror image.

In this blog, I put together a variety of before and after images to give you an idea of what types of photographs will work for mirroring.  I hope these examples will get your creativity flowing in making mirror images.

If you want to know how to create a mirror image, visit my blog on the subject.

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Waterfalls and Rapids in Rivers work well for Mirror Images

Rapids Along Tremont Road, Smoky Mountains - Before
Rapids Along Tremont Road, Smoky Mountains – Before
Rapids Along Tremont Road, Smoky Mountains - Mirror Image
Rapids Along Tremont Road, Smoky Mountains – Mirror Image
Place of a Thousand Drips, Smoky Mountains - Before
Place of a Thousand Drips, Smoky Mountains – Before
Place of a Thousand Drips, Smoky Mountains - Mirror Image
Place of a Thousand Drips, Smoky Mountains – Mirror Image

If you can find the right point to join the images, buildings can give an interesting look.

Byodo-In Temple, Hawaii - Before
Byodo-In Temple, Hawaii – Before
Byodo-In Temple, Hawaii - Mirror Image
Byodo-In Temple, Hawaii – Mirror Image

Macro photographs can also make nice mirrored images.  The water drops are an example of a vertical mirror image.

Pink and Blue Swirl Water Drop Refraction - Before
Pink and Blue Swirl Water Drop Refraction – Before
Pink and Blue Swirl Water Drop Refraction - Mirror Image
Pink and Blue Swirl Water Drop Refraction – Mirror Image
Slug on a Bloom - Before
Slug on a Bloom – Before
Slug on a Bloom - Mirror Image
Slug on a Bloom – Mirror Image

Mirroring bunches of flowers can give a balanced look to your flower photographs.

Soft Summer Flowers - Before
Soft Summer Flowers – Before
Soft Summer Flowers - Mirror Image
Soft Summer Flowers – Mirror Image

Mirroring landscapes can provide some interesting effects.  Notice the interesting patterns and faces in the center of these landscapes.

Yellowstone, Calcite Springs in the Winter - Before
Yellowstone, Calcite Springs in the Winter – Before
Yellowstone, Calcite Springs in the Winter - Mirror Image
Yellowstone, Calcite Springs in the Winter – Mirror Image
Cathedral Rock, Garden of the Gods - Before
Cathedral Rock, Garden of the Gods – Before
Cathedral Rock, Garden of the Gods - Mirror Image
Cathedral Rock, Garden of the Gods – Mirror Image

Train tracks and roads can create some really nice lines in your image, and you can put trains and vehicles on a collision course.  

Train at Thurmond, West Virginia - Before
Train at Thurmond, West Virginia – Before
Train at Thurmond, West Virginia - Mirror Image
Train at Thurmond, West Virginia – Mirror Image

If there are signs in your photos (like the Thurmond sign in the train station photo), you may want to flip the sign as it will be backward after you create the mirror image.

Train Station, Thurmond, West Virginia - Before
Train Station, Thurmond, West Virginia – Before
Train Station, Thurmond, West Virginia - Mirror Image
Train Station, Thurmond, West Virginia – Mirror Image

Similarly, bridges can create some interesting shapes and lines.

Turnpike Bridge, Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Before
Turnpike Bridge, Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Before
Turnpike Bridge, Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Mirror Image
Turnpike Bridge, Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Mirror Image

Yes, even the right wildlife and bird photographs, can make good mirror images.

Gray Squirrel - Before
Gray Squirrel – Before
Gray Squirrel - Mirror Image
Gray Squirrel – Mirror Image

I hope this blog gives you some ideas to create beautiful and interesting mirror images.  A good way to start is to go through your previously processed photographs and key word the ones that are candidates to be mirror images.  You can then go back through them and experiment. 

Written by Martin Belan

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