I have always found reflections interesting, especially if they are somewhat abstracted. Looking at the reflection and trying to figure out what exactly it is can be an entertaining challenge.
Looking at the pond in my backyard the other day, I noticed the water was reflecting the surrounding trees. A slight breeze created ripples in the water distorting the reflection. I thought it would make a nice image, but I didn’t have my camera with me at the time. I decided I would come back later in the afternoon when the sun was lower thinking this would create a better photograph with the brighter trees reflected by the darker water. It was a nice plan, but, unfortunately, I forgot to go back.
The next day I remembered the reflections and grabbed my camera. Setting up my tripod, I realized there was no wind to generate the ripples I needed to create the abstract image I had in mind.
To solve this problem, I decided which section of the pond I wanted to photograph and focused on that area. I picked up a rock and threw it just past where my camera was focused. I quickly put my eye to the viewfinder. As the ripples began moving into the frame, I began shooting. I’m sure if any of the neighbors were watching this, they had to have gotten some good chuckles.
Getting this picture took a great deal of trial and error. To maintain adequate depth of field throughout the frame, I knew I would need the smallest lens aperture I could get. Beyond that, I had no idea what kind of shutter speed I needed to get what I was looking for. I tried shorter speeds, longer speeds, and moderate speeds. I finally decided on a shutter speed that was long enough to create the abstraction I wanted but wasn’t so long that all definition in the reflection was lost.
Settings: 400mm, 1/13 sec, f/40, ISO 800