Look, no lens! Photographer takes 'impossible' self-portrait in mirror - where you can't see the camera

Look, no lens! Photographer takes 'impossible' self-portrait in mirror - where you can't see the camera - 'Trick' photo stitched from three separate images - 'Removes' camera so it appears as if made by a 'magic mirror'

Anyone who's bought (or sold) anything shiny on eBay will know the problem - you can often catch a glimpse of the photographer, camera in hand taking the shot.

But a photographer has finally cracked how to take a self-portrait in front of a mirror - without the camera appearing at all.

The 'trick' is that the photo isn't in fact one photo at all - it's a compilation of several, with the camera 'snipped out' of the final version.

The final product: Now use this as your Facebook picture and convince your friends you're a wizard

'What you’ll need is a camera, a big mirror and a basic knowledge of Photoshop,' says the blog tutorial entitled Photoshop Subtle Mirror Trick Tutorial.

'The theory behind this image is that you’re combining three photos into one. One of each of your hands and a third of your head.'

You start off by taking a picture of your right arm, then your left arm.

You will need to erase the part of the layers showing the left and right arms holding the camera to your face.

You then add another photo, which hasn’t got your face blocked by the camera, then move that 'layer' up over the top of the final image.

Half-way point - the reflected image still has the camera

If the picture has been angled correctly, it should be easy to 'glue' the head from the first image over the area with the camera

The final image can be tidied by 'cloning' areas of fabric from clothing and pruning angles

'If you’ve been really careful when taking the photos, then this should be fairly easy to complete. If not, then it’s time to get some photoshop trickery out.

'A little bit of clone tool here and there, and pinch of content-aware fill later, I’m able to make mine come out perfect. A slight crop to remover the overlapping, and I’m done,' says the Expert Photography blog. ( dailymail.co.uk )