Microscopic Lifeforms of Light

Twisting Light #8 Continuing the experiments on the refraction patterns of light made with formed and shaped plastic materials. With this one I seem to have created two microscopic creatures. The top one looks to me like a 'daphnia' or 'water flea' while the bottom one appears to have structure reminiscent of the segmented body of a 'louse' or similar parasite. Ooh.. I've gone all itchy. Pleasant dreams. ;-))

These images are analog formed directly on to 35mm negative film by the refraction pattern of light passing through a formed plastic shape. The resulting print has been scanned for flickr. Minor adjustments have been made with Picasa2.

When seen large, small rainbow patterns are evident and also difraction patterns and rings.

Comments and faves

  1. ★

    Vít Hassan, auntiem, Timbrel, satanaperkele, and 83 other people added this photo to their favorites.

  2. Vít Hassan (83 months ago | reply)

    ...........................Another fantastic one!!!!

  3. auntiem (83 months ago | reply)

    Amazing!

  4. innusa (83 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful patterns!!

    Seen in my contacts's photos. (?)

  5. HannyB (83 months ago | reply)

    sleep tight,
    don't let the bedbugs bite....!

  6. MADianito (83 months ago | reply)

    im a fan

  7. *Sherry* (83 months ago | reply)

    Very interesting!
    I see the bugs too :)

    Hahaha... quickly, put on some anti-itch cream :P

  8. me*voilà (83 months ago | reply)

    Fabulous pattern - reminding me of two things: jellyfish or - don't laugh - my mother's very beautiufl embroidery, it was equally delicate !

    But then we don't have to look for anything else all the time when you offer such beauty!

  9. cara. (83 months ago | reply)

    brings back memories of biology class....

  10. Timbrel (83 months ago | reply)

    Exquisite tracery.

  11. prodigaldog (83 months ago | reply)

    Oh this is just SO good!

  12. _namtaf_ (83 months ago | reply)

    !!!! superb !!!!

  13. roddh (83 months ago | reply)

    pulsating with energy. white hot! fantastic.

  14. CATeyes (83 months ago | reply)

    Wow, Alan; very cool...yep definitely see bugs in the patterns here! ;-) From the thumbnail I thought I was in for another microworld treat...but I'm patient. :-)

  15. *ian* (83 months ago | reply)

    Excellent as always! I see a fish! A three spot gourami to be precise! Maybe it's after the insects?

  16. Anduze traveller (83 months ago | reply)

    The bugs jump out - normal for fleas & lice? - but then other things surface! Where vit hassan saw a person in a hat (yes, nice caricature when one looks that way!) I saw an eye - in the hat part! And several more eyes appeared when looking at the original size ... Love the delicate traceries in colour that become more visible in the larger sizes ...
    I hate to think what a shrink would make of the comments on your photos, Alan - could be a field day for an analyst!!! :^D

  17. Mon@rch (83 months ago | reply)

    Looks like ripples in the water! I really like this one!

  18. Andrea Baldassarri (83 months ago | reply)

    Very nice!

  19. veloopity (83 months ago | reply)

    wonderful, wonderful!
    I wonder why the small circular patterns look so much like connett circles ...


  20. photofool (83 months ago | reply)

    wow! mesmerizing!!! i see 2 sting rays (w/o tails) gliding under a reflective water surface.

  21. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thank you everybody for your comments and wonderful interpretations.
    >E; I'm sure any shrink looking at these will be finding other images too!
    >veloopity; Michael thanks for that image link. Fascinating. Diffraction patterns of light around a point source can be expressed mathematically, perhaps it's the same equation that Connett worked out.

  22. veloopity (83 months ago | reply)

    Connett's circle algorithm is described here.
    It is basically simply x2 + y2 (=squared) for each pixel

  23. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Michael. Fractals and other computer graphics are fascinating subjects. It's something I've not explored, but admire much of the subtle work produced. There is so much one would like to do and too little time to do it (even if I am retired). :-)

  24. _ Krystian PHOTOSynthesis (wild-thriving) _ (83 months ago | reply)

    Hello Alan, I've chosen your Photo for the Kompetition of the Week at Scientist Photographers, you kan follow the Skoring in the Diskussion Sektion of our Group! Good Luck! ;O)

  25. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thank you very much Krystian, I'm glad you found it interesting enough to submit.

  26. dmviews (83 months ago | reply)

    Superbe!

  27. Georgie Sharp (83 months ago | reply)

    Many of your latest photos remind me of "Tie and Dye" dying results ..... I am sure that you would see the similarity too if you investigated this topic... :-)

  28. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thank you dmviews and Georgie for your comments.
    > I've always like the patterns in 'tie and dye', thought about it but never actually got round to trying it. I think some of the experiments I'm trying now look even more like it.

  29. SEngstrom (83 months ago | reply)

    Very nice (and interesting). I find it unusual to see so many right angles but then again it is all in the piece :-)

  30. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Stefan, I'm never quite sure what I'm going to get either, but I'm working on it! ;-))

  31. Andrew. (83 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful and it almost looks edible!

  32. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Andrew but I wouldn't try it! :-)

  33. clickykbd (83 months ago | reply)

    *applaud*, glad to see you getting back into the groove after vacation.
    --
    Seen on your photo stream. (?)

  34. Reciprocity (83 months ago | reply)

    Thay you Ryan and My Cheap Camera.

  35. wereldwandelaar (79 months ago | reply)

    That face with hat looks like "The Predator". Nice shot, lucky shot.

  36. Reciprocity (79 months ago | reply)

    Thank you wereldwanderlaar.

  37. Skymix (76 months ago | reply)

    wow!! awesome work!

  38. Reciprocity (76 months ago | reply)

    Thank you very much Skymix.

  39. Esther Demaría (60 months ago | reply)

    wow!!! I love it!!

  40. chico945 (55 months ago | reply)

    Please post to elegance in art, graphics and design. Thanks!

  41. Reciprocity (55 months ago | reply)

    Thank you Esther and thanks for the invite Chico.

  42. mariczka (53 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called photo=graphic=design, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  43. foortography (53 months ago | reply)

    Outstanding! Exactly the same approach/medium I did way back in college (and hope to continue). Hopefully, I'll have some posted soon. BTW, have you ever heard of Henry Holmes Smith?

  44. Reciprocity (53 months ago | reply)

    Thank you maricza and foortography.

    No I was not aware of his work - thanks for the introduction.
    Look forward to seeing your results, let me know when you post.

  45. scismgenie (51 months ago | reply)

    The Spectrum Award

    Awesome use of color! Please post this photo to the Spectrum Award group. Please add a tag which reads "Spectrum Award".

  46. Shay B. Malden (36 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called FILM - An Abstract Point of View, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  47. This photo was invited and added to the FILM - An Abstract Point of View group.

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