Crystal ball photography tips
7 August 2020

6 Amazing Tips for Crystal Ball Photography

A photographer’s search for something new and creative is never ending. All they want to do is capture the entire world in their cameras, but how an entire world would fit into a tiny thing, well this indeed became possible with crystal ball photography. Being the primary object, the crystal ball or popularly referred as lens ball enables photographers to capture refractive photos which reveal the subject or the background scenery in an inverted manner within the ball, which makes it look like that one has captured the world in a crystal .

Though a quite popular form, crystal ball photography is a great addition to landscape photographers but somehow not just restricted to it. Now you would think that how we obtain the kind of results from crystal ball photography. To put it in simpler words it’s all because of one phenomenon i.e. Refraction


The concept of Refraction…

Refraction occurs when an ample amount of light enters an object of dense mass, anything like water or glass. As light enters the object, it bends on the point of entry and produces distortion. This distortion forms an inverted image of the scene in the background on the surface of the object, say crystal ball in here.


The reason behind clicking using a crystal ball is to capture the entire scenery which could be missed using even the wide angle camera lens. The crystal ball photography creates a wide angle scene within the ball which is both fascinating and concise as compared to other forms. No matter if one is a pro or a beginner anyone can give it a try to crystal ball photography.


Here are a few tips to get best results on your Crystal Ball Photography

1. Focus on the subject-
while taking pictures, the photographer should be very clear in deciding what he wants to capture. It is only then a desired result is obtained when the crystal ball focuses what is to be taken in the frame. The subject should be clearly visible in the ball as it is in real.

2. Correct placement of the crystal ball-
It’s not just this form but it’s the entire base of photography which is on lighting. While placing the crystal ball there are few things one should keep in mind. The first and the most important one is that there should be ample light to capture the image on the ball. Also the object should be property lit forming a sharp and clear image on the ball.

3. Use of appropriate camera accessories –
The type of lens used in photography plays a vital role. The best option to cover the crystal ball photography is by using macro lens as it helps in focusing the ball from a closer distance and will help in creating a clear and sharp image with bokeh. The photographers can use tripods in order to get a noise free image as well can use reflectors if there is absence of ample light to capture the subject

4. Choose the correct aperture-
A camera setting especially the aperture setting plays a vital role in crystal ball photography. You, as a photographer need to set your aperture correct aperture to convert your scene in a perfect shot. An aperture that’s too small won’t blur out the background. And the One that’s too large will make it hard to get a sharp image inside the ball.

5. Place your crystal ball in a safe and comfortable manner-
While placing your crystal ball on a surface one should make sure that it fully sets in and there is no scope of it falling off the surface or rolling down. The surface where the ball is placed should be stable and shouldn’t move the crystal ball with vibrations else it will lead to a noisy picture. Also if possible one should stay near to the crystal ball while capturing and if there is no specific space to settle the ball then either hold it on your own or ask someone else/ friend to hold it for you.

6. The light and timing-
While taking refractive photos one should always aim for properly lit subject. In case of dull lighting either use reflectors or wait for the natural timing to take its course. For example capturing images early in the morning or at times when sun is shining warmly on the subject. A strongly lit subject will produce a sharp image on the ball creating less reflection.

While thinking about the crystal ball as photography concept there’s one thing that strikes everybody’s mind i.e. if a scene is perfect for crystal ball photography so it shall be good for regular photography as well. Off course it could be but there are a few pros which come along with Crystal ball photography over regular photography.

Advantageous of Crystal ball Photography

  • As compared to the regular photography forms, the crystal ball photography is a new concept which is way more attractive when it comes to catching the attention of the audience.
  • It fulfills the need to do something new and creative.
  • As a unique form it allows you to stand out in terms of photography skills as not much people are into this form yet.
  • While considering the cost of a crystal ball with a wide angle lens, the ball is much cheaper and can produce amazing wide angle pictures
  • It allows the photographer to create a fish-eye like effect without actually investing in the lens used for it.
  • The ball is quite flexible and easy to carry. One can just load it in their bags and carry it anywhere around the world as compared to heavy lens.
  • It easy to pick and place the ball in different positions in your scene.
  • Using the correct aperture in conjunction with the ball to create bokeh, is great for minimalism as it increases the depth of field and gives a picture enhanced look.
  • The scenes created with a crystal ball give more artistic feelings to the viewer.
  • The ball captures the entire scene giving it a natural frame to the photograph.

So, if you are a photographer, seeking to do something different then Crystal ball photography is the answer to your next creative search and after all if you still need some enhancement you can hire photo editing services provider to take your photographs at next lavel.