using the torelli theorem for k3 surfaces of pyatetskii-shapiro and shafarevich one can describe the automorphism group of a k3 surface over ${\mathbb c}$ up to finite error as the quotient of the orthogonal group of its picard lattice by the subgroup generated by reflections in classes of square -2. we will give a similar description valid over an arbitrary field in which the reflection group is replaced by a certain subgroup. we will then illustrate this description by giving several examples of interesting behaviour of the automorphism group, and by showing that the automorphism groups of two families of k3 surfaces that arise from diophantine problems are finite. this is joint work with martin bright and ronald van luijk (university of leiden).