Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

mike_c

(37,035 posts)
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:12 PM 17 hrs ago

cymatic mandalas

Here's something I've been playing around with the last couple weeks. They're cymatic "mandalas," generated by photographing colored lights reflected from the surface of vibrating water, on which pure, low frequency tones produce standing waves. The water was in a black petri dish centered inside a speaker cone, and photographed from above. It's so cool seeing these figures emerge as I ramp up the volume. These were generated with frequencies in the 20 Hz to 30 Hz range-- I forgot to record them. Each image is monocolor and captures only the reflections visible during each exposure, so multiple exposures of the same standing wave reflections were layered in Photoshop to produce the complete figures.





13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
cymatic mandalas (Original Post) mike_c 17 hrs ago OP
Have you seen Dr. Matsuri Emoto's work with water? SheltieLover 16 hrs ago #1
no, I haven't mike_c 16 hrs ago #2
Dr. Emoto did some fabulous research SheltieLover 16 hrs ago #4
They've done this with sand and soundwaves LearnedHand 16 hrs ago #3
Hans Jenny also did superb research with cymatics. SheltieLover 16 hrs ago #5
His work is beautiful and I love physics as metaphor LearnedHand 16 hrs ago #10
I love the physics of this, too! SheltieLover 15 hrs ago #12
yeah, that was originally done with violin bows, if I'm not mistaken mike_c 16 hrs ago #7
Yes exactly LearnedHand 16 hrs ago #9
Wow! Diamond_Dog 16 hrs ago #6
I don't completley understand the process, but these are beautiful! CrispyQ 16 hrs ago #8
Absolutely stunning! Thank you so much for sharing! HeartsCanHope 15 hrs ago #11
Wow! I love it! HAB911 2 hrs ago #13

mike_c

(37,035 posts)
2. no, I haven't
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:22 PM
16 hrs ago

But now I have. Thanks! Those are cool (no pun intended). There's a Russian photographer whose name I can't remember who hacked a Canon point-and-shoot camera to capture similar photos of single snow crystals (also water ice crystal accretions, of course). IIRC he worked on his balcony during storms!

These figures are in 75mm petri dishes painted black, so no macro necessary.

SheltieLover

(79,846 posts)
4. Dr. Emoto did some fabulous research
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:29 PM
16 hrs ago

He worked with water from a wide variety of sources, sometimes praying over the water, sometimes taping words to a bottle with the water in it, then re-photographing it.

Astounding!

And consider the implications of living in harmony with Nature. We are, after all, 70% water.

Have you seen Hans Jenny's work with Cymatics?

https://www.cymaticsource.com/videos

TY for sharing.

LearnedHand

(5,386 posts)
3. They've done this with sand and soundwaves
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:26 PM
16 hrs ago

Chladni plates. Same principle, although not as stunning as your photos.

LearnedHand

(5,386 posts)
10. His work is beautiful and I love physics as metaphor
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:59 PM
16 hrs ago

Some of the stuff on that site seems a little woo-woo to me, but to each their own. I love that physics creates these otherworldly patterns in sand and water all on its own.

mike_c

(37,035 posts)
7. yeah, that was originally done with violin bows, if I'm not mistaken
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:34 PM
16 hrs ago

Bowing the metal plate generates a tone (now done with amplifiers and speakers, of course). That set off what's now the pseudo-science wooey core of cymatics, i.e. speculation about the properties of "fundamental frequencies" or "universal tones."

I'm just here for the pretty pictures!

LearnedHand

(5,386 posts)
9. Yes exactly
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:41 PM
16 hrs ago

I’ve used Chladni patterns in pottery pieces, so I’m like you in loving the beautiful shapes. Since all matter in the universe is sort of just vibrating particles, I’m blown away but not surprised that order arises out of chaos at the macro level as well.

CrispyQ

(40,923 posts)
8. I don't completley understand the process, but these are beautiful!
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:38 PM
16 hrs ago

Would love to see a video. Thanks for sharing!

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Photography»cymatic mandalas