I took this photo recently, and it occured to me that it might be truly impossible to determine what it is a photo of, without it being explained. I am curious whether anyone can guess what they're looking at in this photo:
There is a gift piece, or a dedication as a prize for anyone who guesses correctly.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
A dandelion puff? That's the best guess I've got so far. That, or a pod of cotton. Neither of those feels quite right.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
A lava lamp, well not quite like the old ones, but one of those lamps with the blue light, that where you put your hand, it moves to.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
Sperm wiggling around an egg.
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
The squiggles look something like a dark field microscope view of Treponema, or syphilis.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
A sparkler?
A question: How much post-camera manipulation have you done on it?
Posted by Little_Doctor (Member # 6635) on :
How do you think someone would take a picture of that jeniwren?
Unless of course AutumnFire works in that field. Then you're guess is just dandy.
I was going to say dandelion as well kq.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
The squiggly parts make me think of smoke. Perhaps the tip of a stick of smoldering incense? Or a blue sparkler?
--Enigmatic
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Reminds me of a cross between lit magnesium and a bursting milkweed pod. Quite an intriguing photo.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
Little doctor, that's just the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture. No idea if it's right, it's just my best guess. I realize that the likelihood is pretty slim. But she wasn't offering a free car either, so I figure I didn't lose much except my dignity, which I didn't have a lot of to start with. Posted by AutumnFire (Member # 7320) on :
Neither, but good guesses.
Posted by AutumnFire (Member # 7320) on :
Okay, no right answers so far, but lots of interesting guesses. Here are all the incorrect answers thus far:
Fireworks x2 sperm and egg x2 Match with sparks Sparkler x3 The result of french-kissing a light socket Ball lightning confetti easter grass the exit of a cave from inside the cave a tennis ball a solar system a camp fire a lightbulb as it burns out being on the receiving end of a plasma gun heart-shaped pendant on cotton batting dandelion puff pod of cotton lava lamp microscope view of bacteria lit magnesium bursting milkweed pod Little Doctor (Dr. Device from Ender's Game)
It never occured to me that it looked like a Little Doctor explosion, but it kinda does. That's really cool!
Incidentally, the colors have not been altered. What you see is roughly what I saw taking the photo.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
THe squiggles remind me of strips of crimped paper that are often used as packing materials. The shape in the center looks to me like a heart-shaped pendant or locket.
(edit cause I didn't read) With no manipulation of any kind, I'm not likely to be right LOL. And I see someone else said heart-shaped locket...
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Flames from a gas burner?
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
a light source seen through a blue scarf?
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
It looks like something underwater, but what that might be, I have no idea. Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Well, obviously to me, either the camera was moving (jiggling) or the subject was moving, in order to give those squiggles. So - I'm trying to think of different low-shutter-speed or time-delayed type things you could photograph that would end up with that result, but my mind is not coming up with it.
Can we ask -- is it taken at night?
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
If I'm allowed another guess: The inside of a sweater sleeve. The camera is inside the sweater, looking down the arm. The little squiggles would be light coming through loose parts of the knit and the ball is the light at the end of the sleeve.
--Enigmatic
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Go towards the light!
Did you take a camera along on your near-death experience?
Posted by Tinros (Member # 8328) on :
blue dog hair on a black shirt.
Posted by BunnV (Member # 6816) on :
I'd say either The Big Bang, fireflies, or some sort of laser.
Posted by dropofTapioca (Member # 7867) on :
umm...mitosis? I doubt it, though.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
I want to say some kind of bioluminescent bacteria or fungus. Maybe jellyfish or plankton?
Sorry, that's a lot of guesses, but I'm really stumped. Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Bats or bugs flying around a street light. Or some other kind of light.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
The inside of one of those plasma balls.
Posted by Zarex (Member # 8504) on :
Aurora Borialis. Other than that, I'm stumped.
Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
The main lit part looks like a heart to me. I'm not sure what that would make the other little squiggles though.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Cigarette lighter?
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
No clue, but if you look at the blue thing long enough, it starts looking like an evil face. Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Try playing with the color, contrast, and brightness values in an image editor - the face gets very creepy.
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
It looks a bit like coral as seen while diving.
Alternatively, there's a kind of party favor where you pull a string and it explodes streamers in all directions. Could be that.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Autumn, you brat! We give up!
Tell us, already! Posted by JaneX (Member # 2026) on :
St. Elmo's Fire?
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
You had someone bite a wintergreen lifesaver?
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Wait, don't tell us. Give us hintses.
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
A sparkler?
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
It kind of looks like those things people wear at raves. Blinking heart thingy.
Posted by Jacob Porter (Member # 31) on :
An exploding paintball in a darkened room.
Posted by AutumnFire (Member # 7320) on :
The bioluminescent bacteria guess was closest, but it hardly explains everything.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Bioluminescent jellyfish? I saw those at the Monterey Bay Aquarium once.
Oooh, or another deep-sea creature. Like those angler fish and all that.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I'm w/ Tante on this one . . . no more hints, just 'splain it to us!
Posted by Zarex (Member # 8504) on :
Tell us where the money is, or die! Uh... I mean... Tell us, please?
Posted by Traveler (Member # 3615) on :
it looks like a blue light thrown into a pool to me.
Very nice shot.
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
What is it already!? <------- Impatient
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Drip and/or pour tempura paint onto a white posterboard/canvas held shallowly underwater parallel to the surface. Gently jiggle/twist/warp the canvas a bit off parallel while very slowly removing the posterboard/canvas from the water, or while very slowly draining the water. Then photonegative the result.
[ October 08, 2005, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
Well...?
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
It's there. Look below the picture.
--j_k
Posted by RackhamsRazor (Member # 5254) on :
It looks like DNA! or the luminecent jellyfish, but I think someone already said that.
It could be lint too!
Is it just me or does it kinda look like there is an eye around the center of the blue blob puff?
Posted by human_2.0 (Member # 6006) on :
Wow... that is awesome. I've never seen bioluminescent plankton... didn't even know the stuff existed.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
Oh, wow. That's impressive.
Posted by sillygoose (Member # 1616) on :
That's a pretty cool picture, it's hard for me to stop looking at it. *must resist pretty colors*
Posted by Roseauthor (Member # 148) on :
I've seen bioluminescent plankton from a distance.. but never from this perspective. Then again.. maybe it wasn't?
We were in Cozumel Mexico last year and there are bioluminescent creatures in the water. you could see this glowing in the ocean.. when you got close, it was hard to find a single creature.. I just assumed it was the illustrious plankton I've read about.
Posted by RackhamsRazor (Member # 5254) on :
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