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Psychedelic Soap Photographed by Mark Johnson

By Ellyn Kail on June 10, 2014

United Kingdom-based photographer Mark Johnson / Westend61 creates astounding colorful abstractions by shooting the surfaces of soap bubbles. The artist, who specializes in macro and product photography, captures the pearly, iridescent swirls created by a phenomenon referred to as thin-film interference: when multiple lightwaves hit the back and front of the soap bubble, they coincide and overlap to form complex, kaleidoscopic compositions. The process is similar to what occurs when oils spill on the street to reveal unexpected rainbow forms.

Johnson’s psychedelic images do not readily appear as photographs; instead, the multitudinous hues surge together like paint mixed on a canvas with heavy brushstrokes. Honing in on the soap bubble and flattening its three-dimensional surface into a rectangular frame, Johnson recontextualizes the scientific phenomenon, allowing it to veer into the realm of abstract art.

All photos featured in this post can be found on Offset, a new curated collection of high-end commercial and editorial photography and illustration from award-winning artists around the world. Offset is an exclusive category channel partner on Feature Shoot.

Psychedelic Soap Photographed by Mark Johnson

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