There is the time right before sunset when the wind calms down and stops rocking boats, when the harbor turns intо a perfect mirror with blue skies and long white mast reflections. I was looking at this perfect mirror sipping wine on my boat when a sea lion broke it. He looked at me, snorted, and wend back underwater.
Maybe it was the wine or my twisted imagination, or the fact that I dive a lot – I imagined myself being a sea lion. I was gliding down below looking through the surface at the boats and the people and at my own reflection in the other side of the mirror. With all this scenery I caught no fish and I had to go back to frying franks – which did not play well with the wine. I promised myself to look at my reflection the next time I am diving.
One day I grabbed my camera and jumped in the water; however, instead of photographing models I was looking up at the water surface. The other side of the water surface is a mirror. As the water is instantly moving its internal mirror breaks into liquid shards. Reflection in this mirror breaks into shuffled parts mixed with pieces of broken windows where you can look through the surface at the skies and trees outside. Looking at underwater reflections, I can’t stop feeling the presence of an intelligent mind. It is more than a reflection, it is an opinion.
I took a few pictures and they become a series – The Other Side REFLECTIONS – underwater photographs of the real reflections in the internal water surface.
This photograph Anesthesia is the other side reflection of Anastasia.
What do you think are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!
This photograph and the whole series REFLECTIONS depict things that are happening next to our everyday life and still we have never seen them.
The Other Side REFLECTIONS series and this photo particularly naturally blend abstract and figurative photography providing direct interaction with our emotions. It is an extremely powerful artistic tool.
If you would be able to make this photo once again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?
None.
Alex Sher shared this photograph in the FRAMES Facebook Group.
Photographer
Alex Sher, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Equipment and settings
Portrait: Fujifilm X-Pro3, XF35mm f/2, f/5.0, 1/160sec, ISO640
Daisies: Fujifilm X-Pro3, XF50-140mm, f/2.8. f/8, 1/4000 ISO 640, double exposure in camera.
Editing: Nik Silver Efex Pro 2
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Terrance+Wimmer
September 15, 2021 at 19:09
I worked several underwater projects during my 23 years in the film industry. I know how difficult it is to position a subject, hold a frame, and get the exact lighting you want… among many other difficulties. Your work is quite exceptional and beautiful.