With its gossamer and diaphanous appearance, this beautiful Betta fish caught my eye.
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“Why do you weep, child? We of the Floating World live only for the moment, giving all our time to the pleasures of cherry blossoms and snow and maple leaves, the calling of a cricket, the beauty of the moon, waning and growing and being reborn, singing our songs and drinking cha and saké, knowing perfumes and the touch of silks, caressing for pleasure, and drifting, always drifting. Listen, child: be never sad, always drifting as a lily on the current in the stream of life. How lucky you are, Kiku-chan, you are a Princess of Ukiyo, the Floating World, drift, live for the moment. . . .”
James Clavell, Shōgun
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Tags: stream flowing water slow exposure stream of life timestream nature outdoor photography moving water landscape water long exposure movement motion pennsylvania north america water motion water movement
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What a wonderful moment on the weekend, to look down over the barrier at Woolloomooloo wharf in Sydney - and see this beautiful bloom of jellyfish floating in the water.
I believe these are moon jellies, which are found throughout Australia, living in the ocean, coastal waters and estuaries.
Average 30 cm diameter
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Tags: woolloomooloo sydney wharf ocean moon jellyfish moon jellies ulmaridae water semaeostomeae ocean life nature nature photography wildlife wildlife photography australia nsw new south wales turquoise marine life sea blue aquatic aurelia medusae cnidaria sydney harbour spring woolloomooloo wharf within the waters
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I've tried to present the nishikigoi that I saw within the Kyoto Nijō Castle moat, as they are seen in Japanese watercolour paintings.
The first nishikigoi, (swimming jewel), was produced by farmers breeding Amur carp as a food source to survive severe winter weather conditions, the result born from this was a vibrantly coloured carp that stood out from the rest with its rare beauty. There are now a large number of different varieties and as awareness grew, many started to appreciate nishikigoi like a fine work of art.
Koi is a homophone for another word that means 'affection' or 'love' in Japanese and koi are symbols of love, luck and friendship in Japan.
I loved watching these beautiful fish make their way through the water, it was so calming and restful.
50 cm length
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With their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces, alligator snapping turtles are often described as dinosaur-like.
They are the largest species of freshwater turtle, found exclusively in the United States. Males can weigh up to 80 kg. Astonishing.
It was fascinating to be shown this intriguing creature and in particular to learn of their tongue-lure, used to attract unsuspecting prey. These turtles remain quite still with their mouths wide open as seen here, revealing what looks like a delicious, bright pink wriggling worm, twitching back and forth. Prey that mistakes the turtle’s tongue for a tasty snack will swim right into the range of the hungry predator’s jaws.
This is a captive specimen. When I visited this aquarium, I neglected to ask what stopped the turtle from eating the other inhabitants. It was the largest aquarium I had ever seen in a private home and beautifully kept.
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