Reflections on Mirrors

Below are examples and reminders of mirrors in history, physics, movies, art, and literature.
See yourself having fun!

The reflection of the vest in the computer screen wasn't seen until later. It's hard to even spot.

There's a mathematical and graphic-arts mirror image, in terms of symmetry, but I'm interested in images in movies and photos using reflections in mirrors, windows or water, and things that seem like reflections but aren't.

This isn't everything or even lots. This is a little sample tray so you can see if it's interesting to you.

Holly, in the mirror:

Are you looking at the frame? Look in the mirror. Click to enlarge.

Charlie Winckless

"I was actually trying to take a photo of the guy following me in the mirror, after experimenting with the 'hold the camera upside down and backwards' approach that netted this shot and thought I'd try something else. The end result was cooler than I could imagine. :)

It was taken...between Durango and Silverton. Went up there this weekend and did some serious riding and took a bunch of photos.


"And these camera phones do what?!"

The dragon tile in the background was done by my sister, Irene. It's in the bathroom in which Elijah (my nephew) took this pretty-cool self portrait for MySpace.

Jürgen Burkhardt, a professional photographer with a prize-winning (literally) moustache.

I didn't set out to make a set of mirror photos, but there was a large mirror in the kids' room when they were little, and when we moved there were closet door mirrors. When I went through photos recently I found several:


Click to see these and others (exit with upper-right "x")

Just Add Light and Stir has a photo nearly every day, usually by an unschooling parent. Some of the reflections are in water but my favorites are the rear-view mirrors of vehicles. Click here for rearview mirror shots, and to see more general reflections, click this.

"The Air Pig"

Here is more information.
DOH! After I made my video, I found the new site of the old one. It's at the link above. Things disappear, and reappear!

CHILDREN and MIRRORS

My own children are shown in some of the images below, but here's a link to something about the benefits of children growing up in a home with big mirrors, and it has photos of kids with their reflections. Mirror Mirror on the Wall by Ronit Baras

MOVIE MIRRORS

In "Some Like it Hot," Daphne (Jack Lemon) opens a compact mirror and sees the mobsters signing in at the hotel desk.

In Sense and Sensibility (Ang Lee's), there's a scene with three mirrors , when Charles is talking to his wife as they get dressed.

In the BBC Pride and Prejudice, when Jane says "Engaged to Mr. Darcy!? No, you are joking. It is impossible" that's a great bit with mirrors.

Conan the Barbarian, crazy mirror scene

The Truman Show, Truman in the bathroom mirror.

Unbreakable has a good rearview mirror shot, after the memorial service.

IMBD has an Ask a Filmmaker section, and you can go there and search for "mirror" but there are some good thing in answer to this:

There is a shot in [The Boondock Saints] where the camera is looking at two brothers who are standing in front of a mirror. The camera is looking right at them and the mirror. How did they get this shot without us being able to see the camera in the mirror?

The Use of Cinematography and Stylistic Elements in One Hour Photo: How Cinematographers Can Be a Screenwriter's Best Friend

There is also framing through mirrors, such as when Sy looks in the mirror in the Sav-Mart restroom. His face is perfectly framed like a senior class photograph or perhaps even a mug shot, with the words "Check Your Smile" printed above his reflection. Later, Sy opens a reflective knife case, and he is again framed in that makeshift mirror. When Sy is following Nina's car, Jake sees Sy's car framed in the rear view mirror of the Yorkin family's car. Other examples of framing occur in Sav-Mart and in Sy's apartment, where there are multiple long hallways or aisles.

REFLECTIONS

Buildings and mountains in water are always good.

Jesus Christ Superstar (70's version) has one shot of Jesus leading the apostles along, reflected in water, and later Judas is seen in that reflection scattering a herd of sheep.

(see literary mentions below)

NOT REALLY REFLECTIONS


I Love Lucy Episode 124 - Filmed 3/24/55, aired 5/9/55

Holly Dodd, sitting in front of the computer which has an image of her. I like that the computer image is the one "looking at the camera." Her hair had just been bleached, that day, and the photo on the computer is her at the salon. She did photoshop this, but didn't change the shirt colors or her red-eye.

Some of Holly's photos of Barbies acting out a musical. There are others with mirrors, the last dozen or so.

  

PAINTINGS


Triple Self-Portrait, by Norman Rockwell.


Van Eyck, Jan The betrothal of the Arnolfini 1434

Venus-in-Mirror art

NOTE TO SELF:

Find the images embedded in this old photobucket file and create a set for this page: albums/c111/SandraDodd/website various bits/mirrors/Venus mirrors/97209359.pbw

They might be the same as the Venus-in-Mirror page linked above; check and then delete this.

Outside links concerning mirrors

Physical Optics about mirrors, with diagrams of angles concerning how the reflection is made and viewed by a person. (Internet Archive version; the website is gone)

Some outside links are gone, in 2023.

Art Movies Connections Strewing