One of my favorite phenomena to photograph is the dazzling, evanescent, refraction of light into the rainbow colors of iridescence.
Feather-like swirls of light dance across the surface of a stainless-steel sculpture in the image Steel Sculpture forming a virtual wing. Using a 500mm telephoto lens for the image Cascade Falls, I was able to shoot from a distance across the pool at the bottom of the falls in order to capture the many colors of the falling and splashing water.
I first noticed the phenomena of iridescence as a child when, looking through half-closed eyes, I saw the light iridesce through my out-of-focus eyelashes. A similar play of light can be seen in the image My Cat, Wild Thing, a macro shot of my cat in which its black fur reveals unexpected tints and hues.
At low tide in the San Juan Islands, one can spot what I call “splendid, iridescent, rainbow-leaf seaweed” or as phycologists call it, mazzaella splendens (Seaweed). The shifting, shimmering colors are best viewed when the seaweed is just under water. I photographed this ephemeral phenomena in the shadow of an overhanging rock, which reduced surface glare on the water for an optimal view.
Has anyone else noticed the dazzling display of glittering color produced by the oils in used coffee grounds (Coffee Grounds)? Who would have thought! More iridescence can be seen in surfactants found in nature (Hoebuck Beach and Oil on Water). Oils from alder pollen floating on the surface of my pond create an iridescent sheen in the glancing morning light in the image, Waldron Pond.
The rest of the images in this series lean more towards the sculptural. In Icicle in Norway the sunlight dispersing through an out-of-focus icicle projects prismatic orbs onto the film. Many plastics are capable of impressive iridescence when the angle of light passing through them is just right, as seen in the image Acrylic Sculpture, which I photographed in a sculpture park in L.A.. The image Polished Shell reveals the painterly, abstract beauty of a polished abalone shell.
I photographed this large, stainless steel sculpture at what was is now Seattle Central College. The artist burnished the surface with interesting patterns which beautifully catch the light.
Many colors are visible in this close up view of Cascade Falls.
Sunlight refracting off of my cat’s whiskers.
This seaweed must be underwater for the iridescence to show. It is seen here in the shadow of a nearby rock.
Coffee, in a cone filter, turns into magic in the morning sun.
Bubbles produced by the Pacific Ocean at Roebuck Beach near Neah Bay
Oil swirling on a pool of water.
The iridescent light here is created by oils on the alder pollen floating on the surface of the pond.
A spider web blowing in the wind on a sunny morning.
An out-of-focus shot of light passing through an icicle.
Tall, clear, acrylic pillars reflect light in a sculpture park.
Polished abalone shell in the sun