Did you notice that, as you scan from bottom to top in this image, at some point, about 3/4 of the way up, there is a transition from looking down into the water to seeing the reflection of the sky? Why does this happen? Well, it's a matter of refraction, and you can discover it in many places. This phenomenon occurs with any transparent medium: water, plastic, glass, or whatever. At some point this effect occurs, although the angles at which it happens vary from material to material, depending on what is known as their "index of refraction." I made another exposure of this image, in which the surface was smooth, and there was the same effect; however, by waiting for a light breeze to ruffle the surface, the transition was distributed over a somewhat wider area and the texture adds interest and life to the image.

Photography itself involves both technical and artistic considerations, so it follows that one should benefit by understanding, observing and even anticipating phenomena such as the behavior and interaction of the materials and forces of nature. This can help to capture the viewer's attention and engage their intellect and imagination on multiple levels (other images that illustrate this point are #9624 and #91103).