Coca-Cooler

Bucks Fizz (Or is That Fizz Bucks?)

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I shot this series of photographs on Saturday afternoon. I just thought I'd take some shots of Coco-Cola being poured into a glass and then maybe some images from above the glass, of the Coke swirling among the ice cubes. So I put the SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm Macro on my camera and got the experiment under way.

This first shot (above) was taken while I held a two-litre bottle of Coke in my left hand and poured it into the glass, while shooting the scene by holding the camera in my right hand. Let me tell you that required some co-ordination!


Then I noticed the beautiful colours swirling round the glass so I took this shot while holding the glass outdoors. Again, I held the glass in my left hand and shot with my right.

Then I noticed the iceberg effect (above) in the glass, with one-tenth of this ice cube above the surface of the Coca-Cola and the rest of it below the surface.


But this macro lens is so good that it'll capture crisp images while almost touching the object, so I went in even closer for this shot (above). You can see the effervescence clearly as the bubbles rise - and the lens is still good enough to capture the sheen on the underneath of the ice, as well as the gradations of colour across the liquid.


I quickly realised this was far more fun than shooting boring shots from the top of the glass. Then I saw something that took me back to my senior Science classes in Year 10 and 11, where my physics teacher - a brilliant man - explained the intricacies of surface tension and capillary action. Look at the surface of the Coca-Cola in this shot (above) and you'll see that it appears to be undulating around the ice cubes, a fact recorded with startling clarity by this macro lens.


So of course, I had to go closer for the last shot in this series. Then I rang a good friend of mine, to find out the scientific term for the concave surface of the liquid. Mr T, as I fondly refer to him, had the answer immediately. It's called a "meniscus", he said - and it comes from the Greek word meaning "crescent". The curve is produced by a molecular response to the surface of the glass, as well as the blocks of ice.

Regular visitors to my blog know that I never enhance my photographs in any way. But until now, I've never used a macro lens good enough to shoot a meniscus with this sort of clarity. I guess you'd all agree that this series of shots from the side of the glass was far more rewarding than shooting it from the top, as I had originally intended.

Joker-Cola

Sorry, Your Tattoo Is A Real Fizzer

A British man who has proudly showed off his tattoo for 26 years was baffled to realise it actually spelt Coca-Cola. Vince Mattingley thought he had his name tattooed on his chest in Chinese writing after asking staff at his favourite restaurant to write his name in Chinese symbols. But a waiter drew the Coke words - and Vince had it etched on his chest. He only realised the mistake when he recently travelled to Thailand and a barman asked him why he had Coca-Cola written on his chest.

FOOTNOTE: He should get it off his chest.

Gourd, Better, Best

Pepsi Launches Cucumber Soda

The Japanese are staying cool as a cucumber this summer with "Pepsi Ice Cucumber" - a new soda based on the crisp green gourd. The soft drink, which hit stores on Tuesday, doesn't actually have any cucumber in it - but has been artificially flavoured to resemble "the refreshing taste of a fresh cucumber". The mint-coloured soda is on sale just for the summer and only in Japan. Pepsi trails behind industry leaders Coca-Cola (Japan) Company, with about 15 per cent of the Japanese cola market, and also faces stiff competition from non-fizzy bottled drinks like green tea and coffee.

H€adlines & D€adlines

We Won't Can Our Brand Name, Says Coca-Cola

Pointing out stories you may have missed. Bolivia's coca growers want the word ``Coca'' dropped from Coca-Cola. In turn, the Coca-Cola Co. said its trademark is ``the most valuable and recognised brand in the world'' and was protected under Bolivian law.

A statement from the company reiterated past denials that Coca-Cola has ever used cocaine as an ingredient, but did not tackle the issue of whether the natural coca leaf was used to flavor the flagship drink.
Bolivian coca growers express frustration that Coca-Cola can use their beloved coca leaf - yet not defend it to a suspicious world. The Bolivian government regulates the sale of coca to prevent use by the drug trade.

In its natural state, the green leaf is only a mild stimulant.

News source: The Houston Chronicle.