Saturday, December 31, 2022

January 2023: Doitsu Kujaku Hirenaga

 


There are over 3000 different varieties of koi, which is itself a type of carp.  In this case, the first word, doitsu, means "partially scaled". Some koi have no scales some are fully scaled, and some are partially scaled. The word kujaku refers to the specific color pattern this fish has. And hirenaga refers to the long fins, which are the result of breeding traditional Japanese koi with Indonesian koi.

As we head in to another new year, I encourage you to not wait for things to change. Actively overfill your own life with beauty, share it with those you love, and encourage them to do the same. Do that, and 2023 will be joyful not just for you, but for those around you as well!


Housekeeping notes:

I have added "Share" buttons to each monthly post, so feel free to use them to share my posts to your preferred social media.

And although the email subscription to notify you when I have updated the blog has been eliminated, you can still add the blog to your newsfeed and get update notices that way.  Or just check in at the beginning of each month, as I seem to be pretty consistently on schedule lately. :)


4 comments:

David R. said...

Stunning shot! How do you avoid the water reflections? Or do you remove them digitally?
Love your work!
David

Jonderson said...

Thank you David, I am glad you enjoy my photos!
In answer to your question, the water reflection was not removed digitally.
The solution is rather old school as it happens.
One of the first things I do when I buy a new lens is get a clear (3 actually...spares are good!) polarizing filter for it, and screw it on the end.
Not only does that reduce glare dramatically, but it protects the actual lens surface, which is the most expensive and vulnerable part of photography!
A filter like that costs $15, but it protects a lens that could cost thousands of dollars to replace if it gets scratched.
Nature photography is very hard on equipment, so you have to do everything you can to protect your investments, and clear filters are a cheap way to do that.

As for this specific photo, even with a polarizing filter, you have to pick your angles and wait for calm water.
You can see that in the upper left corner there is still some sky being reflected in the water surface.
So it isn't a "perfect" photograph, but it is worth posting on to this blog. :)

Thanks for the question, and for the compliment!

Barry VanderWall said...

I was going to ask the same thing. Even with a polarizing filter, that seems really clear. Almost as if there isn't water at all. I can see the debris that is on the surface, but that and the slight reflection is all that gives it away. Is it really as simple as getting the right angle?

Jonderson said...

Barry:
Well, it isn't always simple, but yes...eliminating water reflection is a matter of a polarizing lens filter and getting the right angle and having calm water.
On paper that is simple.
In the field...not so much! LOL!
This was just an unexpected opportunity on a random personal outing though, so I was not inclined to spend more time on it even though it is a really pretty fish!