Reflecting on the Simple Bubble

Sometimes the simplest things bring the most joy.  Take bubbles for instance.  Could there be anything more relaxing than watching soap bubbles shimmer in the sunshine before they burst and disappear?
The soap bubbles we make are typically the result of “an extremely thin film of soap … and water enclosing air that forms a hollow sphere with an iridescent surface” says Wikipedia.  But before we get into the magic world of soap bubbles, I’d like to take a minute to share some naturally-formed bubbles.
Let’s start at the beach where ocean waves leave behind fluffy, white swirls and mounds of sea foam.  These photos were taken at Carolina Beach in North Carolina.
Sea foam, also known as “ocean foam, beach foam, or spume is a type of foam created by the agitation of seawater, particularly when it contains higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter … [which] can act as surfactants or foaming agents. As the seawater is churned by breaking waves in the surf zone adjacent to the shore, the surfactants under these turbulent conditions trap air, forming persistent bubbles that stick to each other through surface tension” states Wikipedia.
Shown below, a willet (Tringa semipalmatais) searches for breakfast amongst pillowy mounds of sea foam.
A closer look reveals a mass of a rainbow-colored bubbles.
A similar situation can occur when fresh water rushes over rocks and obstacles as was the case in Nova Scotia’s Liscombe River after a heavy rainfall.
Fast-flowing rivers, streams and creeks can create foam, typically called “stream foam”, when dissolved organic matter acts as a surfactant forming tiny air bubbles in the moving water.  I first learned about stream foam while writing the blog post, Right as Rain, which featured photos of the stunning abstract patterns created by stream foam.
Once again, a closer look revealed a mass of bubbles in various sizes and configurations.
The result was a shutterbug’s dream―the naturally dark surface, the early morning sunlight and the non-stop parade of shimmering forms was perfect.  Here are a couple of my favorite bubble shots from Liscombe River.
Having access to such an ideal setting is rare but the quest to photograph the perfect bubble is not.  There are a number of online resources explaining how to make and shoot the ideal bubble.  There are recipes for bubble solution, tips for staging the shot and advice on camera settings.  It’s actually a lot more challenging than you might expect.
First, you have to make a bubble that will last long enough to photograph it.  Then, because the bubble will reflect everything in its surface―all 360 degrees around it―you need to stage the entire area.  And finally, you want to adjust the lighting to maximize the bubble’s beautiful iridescence as it appears to gradually change color.  I certainly didn’t master all those challenges but I got a few reasonable shots.
Shooting bubbles outdoors in my flower gardens proved more successful.  Being surrounded by natural elements meant there were less reflections to block out.  But it did introduce a new challenge―finding a place and time without wind!  Here are a couple of my favorite shots―I love the colorful iridescence and the mirrored reflections of sky, trees and lake.
I jotted down a few notes to help me remember what worked well.  Perhaps these tips will prove helpful to someone else attempting their own outdoor bubble photo masterpiece.
1. Mix your bubble solution using 5 parts distilled water, 1 part Dawn dish detergent and ½ part glycerin.  To prepare, start with the water and stir in the dish detergent.  Then add the glycerin.  Stir, don’t shake, the mixture.  It’s ideal, but not necessary, to let the bubble solution sit overnight.
TIP: Because they burst when the water on their surface evaporates, bubbles will last longer if the solution is kept cool.
2. Find a location with no wind and soft diffused light.  Conditions are usually better in the early morning.
3. Consider all 360 degrees of your setting since everything, including you and your camera, can be reflected in the bubble.
4. Turn a small bowl or dish upside down and use the bottom, i.e. the “foot”, to hold a little bubble solution.  The ideal foot has no markings, has a smooth uninterrupted edge, is quite shallow and is only 1-2” in diameter.  You can see my upside-down dish in the uncropped photo below.
5. Set up your camera, preferably on a tripod, and focus on the intended spot.  Be ready to click the photo as soon as the bubble is ready.
6. Insert a drinking straw in the solution to blow a bubble.  A gentle twist of the straw will close off the bubble when it’s the size you want―although that maneuver does take a little practice.
Setting up a bubble shot in the described manner can produce some great results.  But I had equally satisfying results with free floating bubbles―I liked the randomness of blowing bubbles into the air and letting them land where the breeze took them.  Admittedly, this approach isn’t totally random since you have to direct the bubbles to the setting you’ve selected.  For instance, to get the below photo of bubbles on a yellow coneflower bloom, I first put my camera on a tripod and focused it on the flower.  Then I blew bubbles until a few landed in the desired spot without bursting.  All of these photos were taken in the same way but each one is unique.
Taking photos of individual bubbles in a controlled environment is challenging but capturing multiple, free-floating bubbles out in the open takes it to a whole other level.
The below street performance in Ghent, Belgium is a case in point―not only was it difficult to capture the delicate, iridescent bubbles in front of the solid, carved stone of Saint Nicholas’ Church but it was nearly impossible to crop out all the distractions.
And now for something completely different!  While walking through the Dutch city of Rotterdam, my sister and I came across an unusual art installation by Job Koelewijn.  By happy coincidence we had stumbled across the Sculpture Route along the Westersingel which features various artworks from Rotterdam’s International Sculpture Collection.
Koelewijn’s work, titled Formula B comprises “the text ‘No Matter Try Again Fail Again Fail Better’ in the water of the Westersingel.  Koelewijn’s idea to make a text piece was inspired by viewing the water as a blank sheet on which one could write. ‘Just like you used to stand on the beach and write your thoughts in the water’ ” explains the Sculpture International Rotterdam website.
When we looked carefully, we could see the words “NO MATTER TRY AGAIN FAIL AGAIN FAIL BETTER” bubble up in the water.

More Info

Previous blog posts mentioned in today’s blog post include:
. Right as Rain which considers the many reasons to love rain.
The following online resources were consulted in the writing of this blog post:
… Bubbles book by Bernie Zubrowski which is available here on Internet Archives
… HowStuffWorks: Why Do Bubbles Pop? March 2024 article by Allison Troutner
… Magical Reflections on Soap Bubbles  January 2013 My Modern Met article by Alice Yoo
… Creative Photography Ideas – Soap Bubble Tutorial with new Mixture YouTube Video by Another Perspective
… Wikipedia entries on Bubble (Physics), Soap Bubble and Sea Foam.
Check out the Sculpture International Rotterdam website to learn more about their permanent collection including Job Koelewijn’s bubbling water art installation Formula B.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Could there be anything more relaxing than watching soap bubbles shimmer in the sunshine before they burst and disappear?
2. Look for sea foam or stream foam to find naturally-formed bubbles.
3. Consider creating your own bubble photo masterpiece.