Bubbles, Bubbles, Everywhere!

Equipment:  Nikon D7000, Sigma 18-250mm Macro lens
Settings:  Aperture Priority, f/6, ISO 200

Last year was the first time I tried to freeze bubbles.  I was very unsuccessful and gave up, moving on to things like sunsets and walking on the Lake which had frozen over all the way out to the breakwater and beyond.  This year I was determined to make it work.  I tried several different mixtures and the best so far is 3 cups water, 1 cup blue Dawn, 1/2 cup corn syrup.  It works really good if you can let it sit for a few hours after mixing.

One of the things that has kept me from success is the constant breeze that we seem to get at my house.  We have had temps in the negative teens, but always accompanied by wretched winds that make it impossible to even try.  Another thing is trying to maneuver both the bubble blowing AND try to take photos with a DSLR all while dodging the gusts of wind.  Even a slight breeze can foil the best bubble.  Having a willing partner who will sit and get their hands wet and cold (and maybe their bum too) and blow the bubbles for you makes a huge difference.

Yesterday my neighbor and business partner Julie was up for the challenge and we got to work.  It was a bit breeze as usual but we hunkered down in the shelter of my house and managed to get a few.  I used a colored paper plate as a tray in hopes of creating contrast, as we were only able to get one bubble to live on the snow and it was tiny.

On the snow this one looked like a pearl to me.

You can see my friend's and my reflection in this one :)

This morning I went out again as there was almost NO breeze at all.  Julie was busy so I had to try by myself.  This time I was able to use my patio table which has a good foot of snow on it, and get beneath the bubbles to create a darker background.  The frost patterns showed up much better and I even got some swirlies as the freezing process was happening.  I colored the snow with food coloring to add some interest.

Double bubble (yes I know it looks like a butt lol)

This one popped and after looking at the photo on my computer I realized it had two tiny snowflakes perched on it!

I shined an LED light on this one and it created a little red leaf!

Every bubble is so different.  They all start out the same but the frost patterns move this way and that as the air pushes the solution around.  It is so beautiful and fun to watch.

Close up of frost pattern growing.  You can see a tiny snowflake is formed in the center of each design!  

I hope you enjoyed my photos!  It is hard work getting everything orchestrated and getting out there during the right conditions but once you do it is really rewarding!  And if you have children it is really fun to show them how different bubble mixtures can give different results, and to let them watch the process of a frost pattern grow before their eyes :)

Autumn watching me from the window haha!

Photo Collection: Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability Clouds

As anyone who knows me will tell you I am passionate about the sky.  I love clouds, especially odd, rarely seen ones, and from an early age I have learned all I can about their names and what makes them form.  Today I will highlight my favorite "rare" cloud:  The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability Cloud (or KH cloud, or wave cloud).  Its really only rare because if you aren't looking for it you probably won't see it.  It only lasts a few seconds to a minute (if you are lucky) and must be photographed "in the moment" or you will probably miss your chance.  As I have found its not so rare because I have quite a lot of pictures of them, and have also seen them when I haven't been able to take a picture.

First, what makes them form?

From what I have gathered from reading books and internet articles about them they form when wind shear moves past a cloud layer (liquid) going either faster than the speed of the cloud (liquid)or in the opposite direction.  A great example is wind blowing over water, creating waves (source).  This site also has a good explanation and a computer simulation so you can see how the instability works.

What do they mean for weather?

As the name suggests they indicate an instability in the atmosphere.  When you see these clouds it is very windy up there.  Airplane travel will be turbulent.  Generally when its really windy up there the weather will be changing.  I often see these clouds about 24 hours before a good storm rolls in when its summer.  Look around at the other types of clouds to see what's coming.  Most of our weather travels from West to East.

How did they get that funky name?

These clouds are name for Lord Kelvin and Hermann von Helmholtz.  Lord Kelvin, a Scotsman, was a physicist and a mathematician.  Hermann von Helmholtz was a German physicist, physician, and philosopher.  Both contributed to the discovery of the instability wave and therefore both are included in the nomenclature.

Here are my personal photos that I have taken over the past three years from Vermont.  Most in my hometown of Milton.  I hope you enjoy them!

June 24, 2010 Milton VT

June 28, 2010  Burlington VT

August 18, 2010 Milton VT

Bands of KH instability at sunset August 18, 2010 Milton VT

July 22, 2011 Milton VT

July 31, 2011

September 9, 2011  Williston VT

July 25, 2012 Fairfax VT

April 16, 2013 Westford VT

The next 3 picture are also from the same date, but later in the afternoon!

Just beginning to form...

This is what it became!

This was another one on the same day in a different part of the sky.

May 22, 2013 Milton

June 28, 2013 Burlington VT

June 28, 2013 Burlington VT

That is what I can find in my archives, of all my most dramatic and favorite ones!  Next post I will highlight Pileus caps on growing cumulus clouds :)  Any comments or questions are welcome!

How To Create A Facebook Timeline Banner in Picasa

First, download Picasa 3.9 for free from Google!!  Picasa is NOT where your photos will be stored, it is simply a user friendly interface between your hard drive and a fun, easy editing tool.  It is fully integrated with Google+ also.

Open Picasa and at the top left choose Import.

This will permanently add this photo to Picasa's library (unless of course you delete it from your hard drive!).  If you want to temporarily edit a photo in Picasa and export it but not keep the original in the library you can also choose File>Add a File.

Import the file(s) you want to use into the library. When the import is done, select the photo(s) you want to use in your banner.  Essentially what we are going to do is create a "collage".  You can do this with 1 photo or many photos.

If you are using only one photo, proceed as follows:

Select the photo so it appears in the picture tray at the bottom left.  Go up to the menu bar and click on Create and choose "Picture Collage".  A new tab will open within Picasa that looks like this:

(click to enlarge)

On the left, make sure "Picture Pile" is selected as your style.  This allows you to move the photo around freely and also resize/rotate it within the collage space.  

Click on the page format menu drill down.  Choose "Add Custom Aspect Ratio":

For Facebook Timeline banners the ratio is 851x315 pixels.  Enter these into the Dimensions boxes that pop up and give it a name.

Choose that as your Page Format.  Next hover over your photo and position/resize it how you want it.

Click on "Create Collage" once you are satisfied.  It will only take a few seconds and then it will give you the collage in an edit window:

Click on the Text button and a list of fonts, sizes, and colors will come up.  Add your text and then use Ctrl+S to save.  If you do not save your changes they will not be present when you upload to Facebook, and it does not prompt you to do so.  When you save, if you do not redirect where the save is going to happen, it will save it in your Pictures Library (Windows 7) under a Picasa folder, and then inside a Collages subfolder.

Once it is saved it is ready to use!  You can edit this collage the same as you would edit any other photo in Picasa.  Frames, effects, retouching, etc. all of that is available on Collages.  There are also more ways than one to do things but this is what I have found to be the easiest!