Eyes are said to be the windows to the soul. Mirrors to me are the windows to magic. To see a reflection of one’s own image or any part of the visual world is both strange and amazing. The seeds of wonder are planted the first time a child discovers himself in a mirror. In the movie “The Bride of Frankenstein,” the monster kneels at the edge of a stream and sees a reflected image for the first time—his own. He thinks it’s a horrible monster and splashes it away. It’s uncanny to see your reflection. If the primitive’s idea that a photographic portrait steals one’s soul, we wonder what they might think of seeing their image in a mirror.

We civilized souls might think that mirrors no longer have any wonder or magic for us. However, the ongoing appeal of funhouse mirrors shows they continue to be a playful source of fun. Their distortions bring out the child in all of us. The portraits here are all candid shots of people who can’t help but ham it up for one very unusual mirror.

To enhance the magic and wonder, the posers have been removed from the actual context. Where these were shot will not be revealed here, though some might know where this particularly amazing mirror is located.