Puzzled

[Benjy]

Took this last week,the reflection in the pond doesn,t seem to be of the two on the leaf,been looking at it for ages and still can not get it,any thoughts would be most helpful.....

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[IzzieK]

I would think the two are so conjoined that it does appear only one instead. I had spent more than a few minutes more trying to find out why.

[dem]

I think the reason here is the height of the camera above the water level.

When we look at a landscape shot of trees or mountains reflecting in a lake, the actual trees match their reflection very well because the camera is pointing almost parallel to the water surface.

When you shoot bugs on water, the camera is pointing downward and there is a big difference between the bug and its reflection. In this case the camera can see the view from above while the reflection shows the view from below.

We cannot see her (if my hunch is correct) reflection because it is blocked by the leaf.

[Wavelength]

Very nice; i love that golden overtone....

[NorthernFocus]

I think the reason here is the height of the camera above the water level.

When we look at a landscape shot of trees or mountains reflecting in a lake, the actual trees match their reflection very well because the camera is pointing almost parallel to the water surface.

When you shoot bugs on water, the camera is pointing downward and there is a big difference between the bug and its reflection. In this case the camera can see the view from above while the reflection shows the view from below.

We cannot see her (if my hunch is correct) reflection because it is blocked by the leaf.

Plus the tail appears curved due to the curvature of the surface of the water near the edge of the leaf. In small areas/volumes(like drops on flowers) the surface tension of water is stronger than hydrostatic forces. As in this photo where there is actually a slight depression in the where the leaf is floating. The curvature of that depression is making the critter's tail look curved. Above Dem explained why the bottom bug is not visible.