Frozen soap bubble UVIVF

[Andy Perrin]

A soap bubble in 10F/-12.2C air was blown onto a flat surface and illuminated from the rear with a Nemo torch. The photo was taken with an EL-Nikkor 105mm/5.6 and BG38 2mm + Zeiss T* UV blocker. Exposure was 2.5" ISO 200 F11. 

 

It would have been nice to capture this while the dendrites were growing, and this was my original intention, but they grow very fast - you need about 1/1000" to avoid blur - and the fluorescence wasn't bright enough for that. I may revisit this with some kind of additive to supply brighter fluorescence.

 

[Cadmium]

Andy, wow! Very nice, looks like something in outer space! 

[Andy Perrin]

Bow down before The Orb, Cadmium! It is a technology beyond all we know! 

[colinbm]

Wow, how good is this....

[ulf]

I'll add one more voice to the choir.

Wow, Wow!

 

This could be a contest winner in some photography contest.

 

A very interesting idea.

I did not know that it was possible to freeze soap bubbles and would like to know more details how it was done, if you want to share.

[Andy Perrin]

Frozen soap bubbles have been done quite a lot in recent years and it is possible to find a number of good tutorials on YouTube. This is the one I followed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY9ea2cY1Bg

 

I got plenty of nice visible light photos also! For example:

 

Honestly, if you do a google search, you will find many better examples than mine. It seems I have a long way to go to master the craft, but even for a first attempt they are very stunning.

[Andy Perrin]

If any of you live in places that have cold air this time of year, I would love to see some more attempts by other members. It's a fun way to pass the time while we wait for the solar UV to return. The difficulty level is moderate but well within the capabilities of most people on here.

[otoien]

Beautiful captures, thanks for posting, and also for the link to the video.

 

I have tried blowing bubbles at 40 below, but they freeze very fast and then crumple (not pop) as the air inside cools.

[ulf]

1 hour ago, Andy Perrin said:

Frozen soap bubbles have been done quite a lot in recent years and it is possible to find a number of good tutorials on YouTube. This is the one I followed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY9ea2cY1Bg

 

I got plenty of nice visible light photos also! For example:

 

Honestly, if you do a google search, you will find many better examples than mine. It seems I have a long way to go to master the craft, but even for a first attempt they are very stunning.

That is true, but I was curious about how you did it as your pictures look that good at such an early attempt.

Thanks for the link to the video and the VIS image.

 

How big are your bubbles?

[photoni]

@Andy Perrin spectacular photos in a magical and crystallized world

[dabateman]

Andy try adding your soap to tonic water.  That might give you a better fluorescence. 

Or just add some yellow, green or orange highlighter to the water.

 

This looks really cool. Or cold 

[ulf]

4 hours ago, Andy Perrin said:

If any of you live in places that have cold air this time of year, I would love to see some more attempts by other members. It's a fun way to pass the time while we wait for the solar UV to return. The difficulty level is moderate but well within the capabilities of most people on here.

Unfortunately I live where the air is very rarely cold enough. It is also almost every day blowing too much.

 

To do this I'll have to find a way to get access to a walk in freezer room.

[Andy Perrin]

The bubbles are 2 to 5 cm, Ulf. This was shot on the A7S which is 12Mpix and full frame. I think I would like to try again using the NEX 7 which is APS-C and 24Mpix. I think I could have gotten more detail. 
 

I followed the linked tutorial very closely on my first attempt and tried a flat surface for my second attempt (the UVIVF), using blown bubbles from a straw which were allowed to settle on the surface. 
 

For capturing the dendrite formation, typical camera settings are:

1/1000” F8 ISO200 or similar. The time must be 1/1000 or so to stop the motion. 

[Doug A]

Awesome images! The detail is amazing and they look so delicate.

Thanks for sharing,

Doug A

[Nate]

Oh wow, that's interesting. Never thought of trying this when my temps were like 3F. 

Great pics

[Andy Perrin]

The best temperatures are probably in the 0-20F or -18 to -7C range. If the air is too cold, the bubbles freeze so rapidly they are probably going to be hard to photograph. 

[Andrea B.]

These are *totally* nifty-doodle, Andy. More, more, please!!

[Craigo79]

Awesome!!

[Andy Perrin]

Did some more today. These are just reflected visible light (no fluorescence either).

 

 

[dabateman]

Very nice, like snow globes.

 

[Andy Perrin]

I was thinking it was like a wintery evergreen forest under a sunset.

[Craigo79]

Paying with bubbles is fun. Sadly it does not get cold enough here to do the frozen ones.

 

[colinbm]

These are super.....

[Nate]

Those turned out great Andy.