I don't know why I'm so fascinated by Koi, but I am. I guess it's the way they come up to be fed, like little hungry baby birds. It's their mouths that really crack me up, truth be told.
So naturally I gravitate to the ponds where the hungry Koi swirl and splash in wistful longing for someone to please feed them, da*n it! Invariably someone does (no, not me) and they go crazy with delight.
Here is one such swirl. Or perhaps we could call it "a gaping of Koi?"
For those who expressed a desire to see green lilypads on water, this one's for you. As I mentioned earlier, there is a tranquil quality about lilypads that attracts me in both black and white and in color. While these aren't the most attractive and green of leaves, they make a startling contrast with the black water and orange Koi. And yet the contrast does not disturb the peacefulness of the image, but takes it in its own unique direction. There is a reason why these fish in particular and ponds and aquariums in general are so popular. An oasis of calm in our stressful lives is both welcome and necessary for our sanity. Or at least some semblance of what sanity we can salvage these days. It brings new meaning to the phrase, "so long and thanks for all the fish."
Like the previous two posts, this was shot at the Huntington Gardens, but at the dolphin fountain in the statue lawn.
The Huntington Library and Gardens is one of our favorite places to visit. It is also one of the most photogenic. The Japanese Garden is an old favorite, with the classical wood bridge arching over the lily and koi pond. While color images are nice, I like the timeless quality of black and white. It makes the scene very serene.
I don't know why I'm so fascinated by Koi, but I am. I guess it's the way they come up to be fed, like little hungry baby birds. It's their mouths that really crack me up, truth be told.
For those who expressed a desire to see green lilypads on water, this one's for you. As I mentioned earlier, there is a tranquil quality about lilypads that attracts me in both black and white and in color. While these aren't the most attractive and green of leaves, they make a startling contrast with the black water and orange Koi. And yet the contrast does not disturb the peacefulness of the image, but takes it in its own unique direction. There is a reason why these fish in particular and ponds and aquariums in general are so popular. An oasis of calm in our stressful lives is both welcome and necessary for our sanity. Or at least some semblance of what sanity we can salvage these days. It brings new meaning to the phrase, "so long and thanks for all the fish."
The Huntington Library and Gardens is one of our favorite places to visit. It is also one of the most photogenic. The Japanese Garden is an old favorite, with the classical wood bridge arching over the lily and koi pond. While color images are nice, I like the timeless quality of black and white. It makes the scene very serene.
