Abstract photography: how to capture reflections in oil and water

In this quick tutorial we show you how to create amazing abstract images by photographing reflections in oil and water.

Something as simple as oil in water can make an amazing subject for eye-catching abstracts. Place a see-through template in front of a light and you can turn a simple shape into something much more creative, as that shape is reflected in every little globe of oil.

Here, we’ve chosen a smiley face as the ‘shape’ for our finished image, but what makes this project so appealing is that you can use any shape (hearts, flowers, stars) or light source you like. It’s ideal for a quick home photo project, and the results can be spectacular. Here’s how it’s done…

How to photograph still life reflections

01 Make a template

Make a template, using a sheet of coloured film as a base. Position your template in front of your light source, angled downwards. Make sure it isn’t too close to the bulb, and turn the light off when not shooting. Set your camera to Manual and your lens to Manual focus.

02 Add some oil

Set up your light, tray and template as shown here. Position your camera opposite the light. Focus on a spot first, then drip more oil onto it for clusters of droplets. Select the aperture you want for the required depth of field (f/8 is good) and the shutter speed, and shoot.

03 Boost the colors

Once you have downloaded the images to your computer, open them in Adobe Camera Raw or a similar RAW processer, then use the sliders to boost colour saturation and contrast, and darken the blacks. You could try combining more than one frame in Photoshop.