A portrait from another angle

The mirror gives the portrait two frames. There is the edge of the photograph, with its ordinary rectangular boundary, and the smaller circle held inside it. The face occupies only part of the scene, leaving the hands and the surrounding light to explain how the image was made.

A reflected portrait invites a little collaboration. The person holding the mirror can change the picture with a slight turn of the wrist. The photographer has to respond rather than arrange everything alone. Small adjustments remain visible in the result.

Start with a simple reflection

Use a place with enough room to move around each other. Look at what appears behind the reflected face before concentrating on the expression. A bright patch or a distracting edge can become more prominent inside the smaller frame than it seemed in the wider view.

Make a few photographs, then show them to the person you are photographing. They may notice something you missed or suggest another angle. That conversation can be more productive than giving a long sequence of directions.

The direct portrait offers a useful companion. Its energy comes from meeting the camera openly, while the mirror image allows the subject to appear through another surface. Neither approach has to carry the whole story of a person.

Let the person in front of the camera have a say in the picture.

Try leaving more of the surroundings in one frame. A reflection can become too tidy when everything outside it is cropped away. The hand holding the object, the tilt of a shoulder or an uneven patch of background can make the image feel less rehearsed.

Choose the finished picture together when possible. A portrait becomes more generous when the person who appears in it recognizes something they are comfortable sharing.