Every cloud has a silver lining, and on this particular evening in Florence, mine came in the form of a puddle. Trudy and I were on holiday, exploring the city’s timeless beauty when the rain left its mark on the cobbled streets. The air was warm, the sky dark, and the glow of the Duomo illuminated the central square like a beacon.

Reversed Perspectives

The image itself is deceptive. At first glance, it appears to be an ordinary street scene, until you realise—it’s upside down. The grand facade of the Duomo seems to rise from nowhere, its details stretching across the puddle’s surface, untouched by the people below. The illusion is complete, a city suspended in water, a fleeting moment of clarity captured before the next footstep shattered it.

A Rainy Winter in Florence

The rain had passed, leaving behind mirrors on the ground—perfect for a different kind of perspective. I crouched down, holding my camera just off the water’s surface, steadying myself as people stepped around me. In the “real world,” the bottom half of the image was alive with movement—tourists and locals alike passing through the square, their silhouettes framed by streetlights. But in the reflection, a different reality unfolded. The top half of the photo, captured in the puddle, was eerily still, an empty version of Florence undisturbed by time or motion.

This is why I love photography—the ability to transform the ordinary into something unexpected. The rain may have soaked the streets, but in its wake, it left behind something beautiful. And all I had to do was look down.