Reflections Off a Restaurant Window

Largely as the result of an effort I’ve been undertaking since this past fall to be more diligent about keywording my photography, I discovered that one of my favorite compositional devices is to use window reflections for creative effects. The abstraction of a subject as seen indirectly and imperfectly as a reflection off window glass often yields a compelling image. When combined with the character of an old adapted lens, things get really interesting.

Yesterday, I got out and about during an unexpected break in what I expected to be steady rainy weather. One of my favorite adapted lenses is an early to mid-1950s Carl Zeiss Jena 58mm f/2 Biotar lens with a pre-set aperture ring. I happened upon this lens a few years ago when I found myself searching for an example that I was more comfortable using than the pristine semi-automatic Biotar lens that came with my Praktina FX.

I confess that, when I made my purchase from National Camera Exchange in the Twin Cities area, I didn’t fully understand that the pre-set version I got was arguably the best suited for adapting to a digital camera. I’m thankful that my blundering into the one I ultimately came to own was the most usable for my intended purpose.

For more on the legendary Biotar lens, check out Casual Photophile’s excellent write-up on it.

As I walked around yesterday, the reflection of this street scene off a restaurant window caught my eye immediately:

It was the first of four photos I shot of this composition. Not knowing what aperture would give me the best rendering of the effect that I was after, I shot this at f/2, 2.8, 4, and 5.6. The f/2 version ended up being the best. Here, the rather strong vignetting and dreamy softness that that lens has when shot wide open was not a liability but rather an asset.

Seeing that a tree to the left could also frame the shot nicely, I recomposed, shifted focus from the tree branches to the light inside the restaurant, and shot several exposures from f/2.8 to 5.6. This one, which I shot stopped down to f/5.6, is the best of the bunch:

When I shoot window reflections as I wander about on the street, I try to be very careful by making sure the business is either closed or sparsely occupied. Part of what makes window reflections useful as compositional devices is the fact that a strong glare off a window is the dominant feature. That same glare makes it hard for me to see inside. I often find myself trying to dodge the very glare that is giving me my intended effect as I furtively look through the window to see if anyone might be sitting on the other side of the glass. After all, the last thing I want to be doing is pointing a camera squarely at someone I can’t see. I love capturing these kinds of scenes, but I don’t want to do that at the expense of making some poor diner uncomfortable as I stand there cycling through my aperture ring settings while I make several exposures.