Okay, so I wanted to tell you about this little photo adventure I had the other day. It had just rained, one of those proper soakings, you know? And the streets were still gleaming. Perfect time, I thought, to go hunting for some of those reflection puddles. I’ve always had a bit of a thing for them.
So, I grabbed my usual camera – nothing fancy, just my trusty old thing that’s seen better days but still does the job. Didn’t bother with a tripod or any of that extra kit. Just me, the camera, and whatever the streets decided to offer up.
First off, finding the right puddle, that’s the real game. Not every bit of water on the ground is gonna give you gold. Some are too muddy, some are too shallow, some are just in boring spots. I was wandering around for a bit, probably looked a bit daft, peering into every patch of water I came across. You’re looking for a few things, really:
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Decent stillness in the water, or at least not too ripply.
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Something interesting to reflect – buildings, people, the sky, whatever.
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And the light, gotta have some decent light hitting it, or hitting what’s reflected.
I found a few promising candidates after a while. You know, the kind that are just deep enough to give a clear mirror image. And then the fun part starts – trying to get the shot. This usually means getting down low. I’m talking knees on the wet pavement low. Yeah, you get some funny looks, but hey, if it gets the picture, who cares, right?
It’s funny what you see when you’re looking at the world upside down in a puddle. Familiar streets suddenly look completely different, almost like another dimension. I spent a good while with one particular puddle that was reflecting this old building with some nice clouds behind it. Trying to get the angle just right, waiting for people to walk by to get them in the reflection too. Patience, that’s another thing you need plenty of. Someone always seems to want to walk right where you’re pointing, or a car splashes through your perfect scene. That’s just street photography for you, always a bit chaotic.
There was this one moment, I had this great reflection of a cyclist about to go through the frame, all colourful and sharp in the water. And then, just as I was about to click, a dog ran up and started drinking from the puddle! Ruined the reflection, obviously. Can’t get annoyed about stuff like that, though. It’s all part of it. Sometimes those unexpected things make for an even better story, even if not a better photo.
After a couple of hours, my knees were definitely feeling it, and I was getting a bit damp. But I had a bunch of shots I was reasonably happy with. It’s not about getting portfolio-worthy images every single time I go out. Sometimes it’s just about the process, you know? The act of looking, of trying to see things a bit differently. And chasing puddle reflections, well, that definitely makes you do that.
So yeah, that was my puddle-hunting day. Nothing earth-shattering, just a simple bit of fun with the camera. It’s amazing what you can find if you just take the time to look down sometimes. The world’s got all these little hidden pictures, just waiting there on the pavement after a good rain.
