The return of the bubbles: fourth in the trilogy

Typical! The day a new lens arrives in the post is the day it starts raining. We've had several weeks of superb spring weather, augmented by the total absence of aircraft contrails across the blue sky, but now that I want to get outside in earnest the heavens open.

So I resort, once again, to bubbles. At least they will keep me occupied until the skies clear again, although it won't challenge the lens's capabilities to any degree.

One thing I can confirm with this type of photography (and I think I'm done with this particular subject, now) is: the colour of the washing up liquid I use plays no part in the final outcome of the images (insert winking emoji here).

The weekend promises to have better weather.




105mm f/2.8 DG HSM Sigma macro lens. 1/250 second at f/11. Overhead diffused and arbitrary hand-held slave flashes. Tripod and remote release. ISO 100



© 2020

Into the unknown

As the UK enters its sixth week of coronavirus lockdown I'm spending more and more the time in the garden, honing my fledgling macro skills.

I'm using a relatively basic setup of on-camera flash and a macro lens, but it's more than enough to allow me to enter a previously unknown world where I can stalk the bushes and grasses, waiting for something to move...



105mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens. 1/250 second at f/11. Manual focus. Diffused flash at full power. ISO 200



© 2020

Light and gravity

I'm being constantly amazed at what I'm seeing with bubble photography. To light each formation I'm using a diffused flash head above and to the right of my subject to highlight the shapes, but also arbitrarily positioning a small hand-held slave flash with a red gel taped over the tube for each shot.

But what really makes the difference are the myriad patterns and colours created from the same solution at any one time. This is caused by light bouncing around between the inner and outer layers of the very thin bubble wall, each part varying in thickness under gravity. Agitation of the surfaces - by gentle blowing - increases the effect before they burst and are gone forever.



105mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens. 1/250 second at f/11. Manual flash at full power through a diffuser. Tripod and remote release. ISO 100



© 2020

Bubblicious!

Encouraged by yesterday's first attempts at photographing what amounts to soap in a dish, I take a second bite of the cherry this morning to see if I can improve on things.

Dabbling with a technique or practice will never produce consistant results, and at the moment I'm using an impromptu setup thrown together with what I have to hand. The rig is tricky to work with as it stands, and for these reasons I'm doing some research into what I need to take this branch of photography seriously.




105mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens. 1/250 second at f/11. Manual flash at full power through a diffuser. Tripod and remote release. ISO 100



© 2020

I need to stay in more

Looking like threads of silver wire soldered together, bubbles created with a blend of water, washing up liquid and glycerine create unique tabletop subjects.

After mixing 75 ml of water with the detergent at a ratio of 3:1 in an old darkroom measuring graduate, I added a tablespoon of glycerine to the concotion. The solution was then poured into an old lens cap, and air blown into it using a drinking straw; the glycerine being added to keep the bubbles stable long enough to make a composition.

Photographed side-on and lit from overhead by a single flash unit, I moved the light around until I got the look I was after.



105mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens. 1/250 second at f/11. Manual flash at full power through a diffuser. Tripod and remote release. ISO 100



© 2020

Throop Mill Cottage

To most people in the UK, spring is happening largely unnoticed. The third week of the coronavirus lockdown is keeping people - for the most part - indoors whilst nature comes alive.

At the time of writing we are still permitted outdoor exercise, and I take mine in the form of bike riding, keeping as much as possible to the countryside to avoid human contact.



Olympus OM-D EM MKIII with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Pancake lens. 1/640 second at f/8. - ⅔ EV compensation. ISO 200



© 2020

Aircraft sanctuary

I haven't been out of the house since Sunday, and although not suffering from cabin fever per se, I need to get out for some fresh air. Adhering to government rules regarding coronavirus and exercise I opt to cycle somewhere, and choose a route that will go largely across country.

It's a perfect spring day with light winds, and the ride takes me past my local airport. I'm surprised at the number of commercial passenger aircraft parked up along the perimiter, all grounded because of travel restrictions. There are over 50 such aeroplanes, and although it's a pronvincial airport the runway is long enough to allow Boeing 747s to take sanctuary there.



Olympus OM-D EM Mk III with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Pancake lens. 1/1000 second at f/8. -1 stop EV compensation. ISO 200



© 2020