Off and on for the past year, I’ve been working on this photo essay on streets in Madrid. It’s one of those things that you’re never quite sure you’re finished, but I thought it’s been long enough now, time to show it. There is no Photoshop involved and no double exposures or anything else. Just images I found with my eyes and took with one click of the shutter. Some of them are almost abstract, with multiple layers of reflections. It takes a while to ‘see’ these image opportunities as a photographer, because everyone living in cities is so used to seeing reflections that you just tune them out and no longer really even see them. I made a video out of them, and put them to a song that I like by the very talented Andrew Bird, who plays Carnegie Hall next week. It’s really best to watch it full screen. (After hitting Play, it’s the bottom-right button.) Let me know whether you like it in the comments below. Thanks for having a look and please share it with your friends!
These are amazing! The layers and different views you get onto the city are fantastic. This should definitely be a gallery show. Are you selling prints?
Thanks Elizabeth. If enough people ask about prints, I may put up a special one-day sale. Tell your friends 😉
Loved it! Some of these are really ingenious. I love shooting reflections and mirrors too. I’m going to share this with my photography group. Thanks!
Thank you very much Christine!
Very clever idea and wonderful images. Your photography always inspires me to make more interesting photos of my own.
Gracias. I’m delighted to hear that. 🙂
Super creative and super cool. If I can work out how to do it I´m going to use it as a screen saver. Loved it, and the music was a bonus!
Thanks Kinloch. Even better: take a photo of it playing on your computer and that way you add another layer–then use that as a screensaver. 😉
Absolutely amazing! Prints would be awesome.
Thanks Sean. A lot of people have been asking about prints, so stay tuned!
Hey Mike, this is truly amazing work, loved it. Thanks for that.
Btw, I felt B. Mayer inspiration in some of them, specially the window shop ones with what’s probably your silhouette in the background. Am I right?
Congrats!!
Thank you Iñigo. There’s only one image with my silhouette in it, I tried as much as possible to not be in any of the images. As far as Vivian Maier, I really admire her work but I don’t think she influenced me much on this shoot. I would say I’ve been more inspired by Alex Webb. But all the inspiration from various photographers adds up and eventually you get something like your own style. Thanks again.
Nice work. You’ve inspired me to try my hand on working with reflections more. Thanks!
Awesome. I also have another blog just on photography. http://www.randolphimages.com
I might do a behind the scenes look at this kind of shooting soon, so check in over the next little while. Thanks!
Hi Mike, very interesting! I agree with Elizabeth, they are worthy of a show and I’m in for prints. I’ll keep,following you.
Was in Madrid earlier this year. Told people it’s a great big, messy, well lived in, beautiful city – I loved it. These photos remind me of the busyness (combined with) the mystery of Madrid. You can feel history and creativity here. Thank you for posting these.
Thanks for taking the time to leave your nice comment, Diane. Much appreciated!
Stunning work as usual Mike. I’ve always been fascinated by the play of light and dimension reflections offer. You’ve captured them beautifully.
Really enjoyed the music too.
Absolutely gorgeous! 🙂 ¡Gracias!
Me encanta Mike, fantastico trabajo! Muchas felicidades!
Hola Mike, really nice pictures, I switched to my laptop so I can appreciate them better. You have an incredible eye and the sense and awareness you have to create an image are amazing. You work should be exhibit in galleries. Let me know when are you coming to the AGO
Un abrazo
Love your perspective Mike – what a pleasure to see!
That is so cool. I haven’t actually seen something like that before, I love Madrid and what you’ve done there is really so cool!
I just revisited this essay, Mike and was even more taken with it…
It’s like Reflections of Madrid… 🙂
Really cool video of the city I love. Brilliant concept and great work. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Life in such variety. Love the expressiveness.
I really like this work. It’ so fantastic to see amazing images like this in my favourite cities set to one of my favourite artists! Keep it up!