Koi are domesticated carp. They have been raised for centuries as pets and colorful additions to garden ponds. The pictures below show a small collection of the color varieties available in these fish. The adult fish pictured here are 12 to 14 inches long and weigh over 6 pounds.
I like Koi because they are colorful and will come to the surface when they know food pellets are being shared.
The first image I like to call the “Yin Yang Koi” because of the white and orange fish circling while trying to get the food pellets. It reminds me of the Yin and Yang symbol and the desire for balance between positive and negative aspects of life.
In the second image, you can see a very young Koi juxtaposed with an orange and black adult. The little fella is about 100th the size of the adult and I suspect more than a few of these little fish get sucked up by the adults in their frenzy to get the floating food pellets. If these little guys live long enough, they will begin to look like the adults and produce the marvelous colors and patterns characteristic of these fish. I like to call this image “Little Big Fish”.
In the third image, you can see the Koi patrolling the edge of their pond. It was late January in 2010 when this picture was taken and the shadows of the leafless trees on the surface of the water adds depth and dimension to this image. You get an impression of the sky, the water surface, and the moving fish below punctuated by the large spot of sunlight on the back of the center fish. I call this one: “Winter at the Koi Pond”
A little art and a little drama can be found in something as simple as fish swimming in a pond. It makes being a photographer something special when the pieces come together and the light is right.
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