A wet morning, drizzle and an almost empty city center: under these conditions, most people leave their smartphones in their pockets. That is exactly where the opportunity lies. In his tutorial, Gabor shows how you can find numerous reflections on wet surfaces in just a single street and turn them into standalone images. The guide takes you from your first look through the viewfinder to fine-tuning the perspective, and helps you recognize typical mistakes in choosing a subject along the way.
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Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Bad weather reduces distractions: few people in the frame and wet surfaces often make for the most exciting subjects.
- Colors often fall flat in gray weather. Black and white instead draws the eye to shapes, contrasts and reflections.
- Strong contrasts make traces of rain and bright reflections stand out clearly.
- Unusual vantage points, such as a worm's-eye view, make reflections especially effective.
- Symmetry and reflection sometimes conflict. Correcting the crop afterwards is then often the better solution.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Scout the location and check the framing
Gabor begins in the city center, where it is raining and hardly any passersby are around. He first looks through the large viewfinder of his smartphone and notices a distracting trash can at the right edge of the frame. The solution: you move closer until the distracting element disappears from the picture. Pay attention to whether the framing looks coherent overall. If you are not happy with the standard perspective, it is worth changing your position, for example by taking a step forward or to the side.
Step 2: Critically evaluate the colors
In the first result, the image looks flat. Gabor notices that there are hardly any colors and that the rain cannot be seen in the photo. This is due to the gray weather, which gives the colors no strength. Take this moment consciously: ask yourself whether the subject really works in color. If not, that is no reason to shy away from pressing the shutter. It is a sign that a different visual language might work.
Step 3: Activate black and white directly in the camera
As an alternative, Gabor suggests shooting directly in black and white. Most smartphones offer a dedicated mode for this in the camera app. Some devices additionally save the original photo, so you can still decide freely later. The advantage of this approach is that you see the effect immediately on the display and align your composition directly with it.
Step 4: Set the contrasts deliberately
Many camera apps allow you to adjust the strength of the black-and-white effect. Gabor opts for a strong black and white with hard contrasts. This intensifies bright areas such as films of water on the ground, and the rain effect suddenly looks much more precise. Try out different levels and observe how depth and mood change. Strong contrast is not right for every style, but on wet surfaces it often delivers the decisive effect.
Step 5: Track down reflections in puddles
Now we come to the actual idea of the video. Gabor looks for places where the city might be reflected in wet surfaces. He turns the camera and tests whether the reflection works. In doing so, he notices that the subject doesn't quite fit, and moves on to a spot with more water. When searching, look out for puddles, curbs with running water and shiny surfaces. The flatter you hold the smartphone, the better it captures the reflection.
Step 6: Choose the view from below and place the subject
Gabor crouches down low and shoots from an unusually low position. According to him, this worm's-eye view is rare, but it creates a special dynamic. While aligning the camera, he gives instructions to his companion, who is supposed to stand in the frame: stay put, step back, lean forward. This way you find the right position in which person and reflection work together harmoniously. Note that a slightly tilted horizon is less disturbing with reflections than you might expect.
Step 7: Wait for the right moment and readjust the symmetry
A car drives through the frame, and Gabor pauses to wait for the moment. Moving elements like this can bring a subject to life, but they shouldn't distract from the essentials. Afterwards, he tries to place the subject more centrally. This reveals a conflict of goals: perfect symmetry would make the reflection disappear if you tilt the camera too much. Gabor therefore decides to crop the image later in post-processing. This solution is a good compromise when the reflection and the composition aren't both optimal at the same time.
Summary – Photographing Reflections in the Rain: Smartphone City Photos in Black and White
Rain doesn't have to mean a break from photography. Wet streets, empty squares, and reflective surfaces offer you subjects in the city that rarely appear in sunshine. You start with a clean framing, check the colors, and switch to black and white if needed. Strong contrasts bring out the traces of rain, while unusual perspectives emphasize the reflections. When symmetry and reflection contradict each other, cropping the image helps you out. Walk through the city with open eyes, and you'll be surprised how many pictures are waiting on a single street.
FAQ
Do I need a special app for black-and-white photos?No, in most cases your smartphone's built-in camera app is enough. Many devices offer a black-and-white mode directly in the menu.
Why is rain so well suited for reflections?Wet surfaces such as streets, puddles, and sidewalks reflect their surroundings much more strongly than dry surfaces. In addition, fewer people are often out and about in the rain, so the surroundings appear calmer.
How do I find suitable reflections?Look specifically for bodies of water, shiny surfaces, and spots with a film of water. Hold your smartphone as flat as possible above the ground to capture the reflection in the image.
What do I do if symmetry and reflection can't be combined?Choose the framing so that the reflection is preserved, and correct the composition later by cropping. A small loss of image area is often the better price to pay for a strong reflection.
