How To: Use a Front Surface Mirror for Photography (9 Steps)

Using First Surface Mirrors for Photography

Many people don’t tend to think about using mirrors for their photography. Let alone a First Surface Mirror. Which is also known commonly as a Front Surface Mirror. Let me show and tell! 

But what is a First Surface Mirror?

A First Surface Mirror, also known as a front surface mirror gives a flawless reflection while minimizing distortion. So it would be silly to not use it right? Right!

Where do I get a First/Front Surface Mirror at?

But where do you even get this special mirror at? Well, you can always make one. There is a such thing as a DIY Front surface mirror, but they are not ideal for photography. Head over to https://firstsurfacemirror.com/ to get the perfect size for you!

Which side is which? 

Now that you have your mirror, now what? That’s easy. First you will have to figure out which side you need to face up, and you can do this by doing the fingernail test. The side with the blue laminate is the First surface Side, but if you get it from somewhere else or or make your own, keep reading. Simply place your fingernail onto the glass, and you will see a gap on one side but not the other. The side that has no gap, is the side you want to place your objects on. And make it look super nice and classy! 

Space:

To get started, you will want a nice open space to place your mirror at. I recommend using a black background or even a white one. I am a fan of the white background, as you can tell.

Lights:  

For lights, you may want to experience before taking the final photos. Mostly because each environment is different. But you will need lighting to achieve the nicest effect. 

Clean:

Clean your mirror with a streak and ammonia free glass cleaner, using a microfiber cloth so you do not ruin your mirror before you get to use it! Get all the fingerprints off, it’ll save you time when editing your photos! 

Placement: 

The next step is to place your product onto the mirror, now be careful. You are working with glass, and it can be scratched. Place it how you would like, be sure there is enough room to see the entire reflection so you don’t miss out on the good stuff. Make it picture perfect! 

Action: 

Now it’s time to snap your photos! Get angels from the top and sides. From any angle you really can get! My favorite angel is at 45 degrees, where you can see your products AND the nice crystal clear reflection. 

Editing Time: 

Now it’s time to edit your finished products! You can edit them however you want. The way I normally do it, it to just take away all the different color making it look seamless.