Post #2 in the A-to-Z photo challenge

Bread, birch, and bubbles - three seemingly unrelated subjects, but all of them have one thing in common: they are all objects of fascination for photographers. From the warm, comforting aroma of freshly baked bread, to the delicate patterns of birch bark, to the ephemeral beauty of bubbles, each of these subjects has a unique appeal that makes them a great choice for photography.

Bread

Let's start with bread. There is something magical about the process of baking bread, from kneading the dough to watching it rise and taking it out of the oven. Capturing the essence of this process in photographs can be a wonderful way to celebrate the art of baking. From the steam rising from the freshly baked loaf to the intricate patterns on the crust, there are endless opportunities for creative shots.

I will leave the dough for another time, but here is a delicious bread that I prepared with my grandma for Christmas a few years ago.

If careful, one can bake fresh bread on fire. Well, we weren’t careful enough with this one, and there were some burned parts, but it was so delicious!

Birch

Moving on to birch, this graceful tree is a common sight in the forests of Northern Europe. I love the slender shape and the delicate, peeling bark of the birch with its intricate patterns and textures.

In spring, birches form small gentle leaves in pale yellow-green hues. They bring the energy back into my body after the long winter hibernation.

Birches make pretty catkins (more on them in the next post for the letter C!). However, the pollen they release causes lots of sneezing in those of us with allergies. Thankfully, antihistamine tablets are useful for many, me included. Isn’t it ridiculous that you live surrounded by birches, and you still have a form of intolerance to them?

I’m not 100% certain this picture below is of birch catkins but I hope you will excuse my poor memory.

Bubbles

Finally, let's talk about bubbles. Scientifically speaking, a bubble is a thin film of liquid that forms when a liquid, preferably with low surface tension, surrounds some air. The scientist in me is tempted to explain in detail what surface tension is, but I will try to restrict myself. Essentially, the molecules of the liquid attract each other, while this favourable interaction is not possible in the air simply because there are much fewer gas molecules. The spherical shape is not a coincidence. The force of the surface tension is trying to minimise the area that the bubble takes, and mathematicians can show that a sphere is an optimal choice for that.

Photographing bubbles can be a great way to explore light, colour, and reflection, as the iridescent colours of the soap film create a mesmerizing effect. It’s a pity that I couldn’t find any good photos of iridescent bubbles among my photos, but I will correct that in the future!

For now, we have the bubbles that some beetles leave on plants when they lay their eggs.

Soft carbonated drinks can be a good opportunity for close-ups. Macro photography is always nice.

Are you also taking part in the A-to-Z challenge