Through the Glass
The Art of Refraction and Reflection
Glass is more than just a vessel; it is a canvas for light to bend, twist, and transform. In the Through the Glass series, I explore how light interacts with transparent surfaces—how it refracts through water and other liquids, and how it reflects off smooth, curved edges. Each image reveals a world where shapes distort, colors shift, and patterns emerge in ways that challenge our perception of reality.
Refraction bends light as it moves through glass and liquid, creating surreal distortions and unexpected compositions. A simple object behind a glass of water can appear stretched, flipped, or fragmented, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Meanwhile, reflection plays with angles and surfaces, bouncing light in unpredictable ways, layering images within images. No two moments are ever the same, making every photograph a unique and dynamic exploration of light’s hidden magic.
Patterns in Refraction
Light takes on a new dimension when it passes through glass and water, bending and warping into mesmerizing distortions. In this series, I explore the interaction between patterned backgrounds—whether from a glowing TV screen, the pixelated grid of a computer display, or illuminated fabric and paper—and how their designs transform when viewed through the lens of refraction.
As light moves from one medium to another, its speed changes, causing the patterns behind the glass to stretch, twist, and fragment in unexpected ways. Water further enhances this effect, adding fluid movement to the refraction, where lines curve, colors separate, and once-familiar designs become surreal and dreamlike. Through careful composition and controlled lighting, each photograph captures these dynamic distortions, turning an ordinary pattern into a visually intriguing abstraction. No digital manipulation—just the pure physics of light bending through transparent surfaces, revealing a hidden world of optical wonder.
The Impact of Color and Objects
Adding colored water and objects to the Through the Glass series elevates refraction and reflection to new artistic heights. As light passes through tinted liquid, it absorbs, scatters and refracts in ways that deepen contrast and intensify hues. The addition of colorful objects—whether submerged or placed behind or on top of the glass—introduces another dimension, altering how light bends and interacts with its surroundings.
Each glass becomes a lens of creativity, where transparency meets saturation, and ordinary light is broken into mesmerizing waves of color. Whether layering multiple colors in different glasses or letting a single bold hue dominate the scene, the interplay of refraction and reflection takes on new energy. These effects bring depth, mood, and an otherworldly quality to the imagery—proof that even a simple shift in color can redefine the way we perceive light.
Transparent and translucent objects take on an ethereal glow, while solid shapes cast shadows and refracted silhouettes, warping into unexpected patterns. Vibrant tones blend and shift as water distorts their edges, creating surreal compositions that appear almost painted by light. Each image is a unique experiment in optics, where glass, liquid, and color come together to transform everyday materials into abstract, dreamlike visions.
Light in Motion
Light takes on a whole new life when combined with glass, refraction, and in some cases a long exposure. In this exploration, I use a lens ball and various objects to manipulate and reshape light, capturing its movement in surreal, abstract compositions. Instead of freezing a moment in time, long-exposure photography allows light to stretch and dance, creating intricate trails and layered reflections that shift depending on the viewer’s perspective.
Using seasonal lights, light wands, and flashlights, I introduce dynamic, colorful streaks that wrap around and through the glass, bending and warping as they pass through different surfaces. The lens ball, acting as both a magnifier and an inversion tool, turns scattered light into fluid, dreamlike shapes. These images challenge perception—what seems like pure motion is actually carefully controlled chaos, where reflections, refractions, and movement blend together to create visually stunning compositions. It’s an ever-changing world of color and light, captured in a way that only glass and a camera can reveal.
