Soap Bubbles, Take two

Freezing soap bubbles is one of those winter games that never loses its appeal – 100% chance of repeating it.

Waiting for Winter

A village in the winter with snow-covered trees — A cold winter day in Kocherbach – no snow, but lots of hoarfrost.

Winters have become something of an issue in this country. Even since we moved to the Odenwald four years ago, there hasn’t been much in the way of cold weather. Last winter, 2024/2025, in particular, there was practically no snow even here at an altitude of over 1,300 ft. So the abundant hoarfrost that appeared on the few really cold days had to serve as the backdrop for winter photos.

Of course, you can photograph fascinating details, such as ice crystals collecting on fences and plants and forming delicate patterns. But on cloudy days in particular, landscape photos become difficult – without the contrast of light and shadow, all that remains is a gray monotony.

Fortunately, there are other photo ideas that don’t rely on grandiose landscapes.

Soap Bubbles are always a Hit

And then there it was, the perfect morning: bitterly cold after a clear night. The sky was cloudless, the thermometer read 15°F, and there seemed to be no wind. It was immediately clear: breakfast would have to wait! This was the opportunity to finally photograph freezing soap bubbles again.

So I quickly got my camera ready, dressed warmly, and mixed dish soap and water in a small bottle. No set recipe, just winging it. The biggest challenge was finding a few straws on the fly. But luckily, there were some in the back of the drawer with the birthday stuff.

In the garden, there are a few tree stumps and old woodpiles covered in hoarfrost—the nearby stream provides enough moisture in the air. At that very moment, the sun climbs above the treetops—perfect timing. The low backlight really makes the ice crystals shine and emphasizes their delicate structures.

The rhythm is quickly established: find a suitable spot – blow a soap bubble there with the straw – wait until the first ice crystals form – find the right angle for backlighting and background with the camera – take a series of photos.

As always, every soap bubble and every photo is unique. The crystals never grow in the same way, and every soap bubble changes from second to second. The magic only ends when the sun rises higher – the light loses its magic and the wind picks up. But once again, a fascinating series of images has been captured.