If you saw my last post you would have seen the above unexplained image. Most people knew it was some sort of sea jelly.
Although not a true jellyfish, it is a type of comb jelly, (perhaps Mnemiopsis?)
In the first image the jelly is inverted and at rest, sort of folding back on itself. I like how it’s so abstracted and looks somewhat like a drawing.
The following images show that same sea jelly in motion. This little Atlantic comb jelly is only about 1cm long. I photographed it with a macro lens, while it was temporarily captured in a bucket. (click on images for a larger view)
Thanks to everyone who “played” along. I love all the creative suggestions as to what it might be!
All images © Karen McRae
draw and shoot 
Oh .. I had no idea it was so tiny karen !
It’s hard to tell without something for scale comparison!
Hu m m m, fascinating.
🙂
Beautiful
Thank you, CJ.
Remarkable, delicate and so small – it does look like a drawing. Great photos Karen.
Simon, thank you. I find the sea jellies pretty captivating.
Karen; No wonder you have such super photos. You go to great lengths to shoot exactly what you want. Wading through early spring frozen waters, taking interesting photos of dead things (bird skulls and dead boat engines) of things that we would never think could come out so interesting. And now you are shooting fish in a bucket. Thanks for your insights to nature and photography. Wally
Thanks very much, Wally. There is so much to look at!
What exquisite images, Karen. Perfect examination of their translucence.
It is an exquisite little creature, isn’t it? Thank you, Anna.
poetry for the eyes. sublime…
I’m glad you think so, Alessandro. Thank you.
wow, 1cm?! Impressive and the photos are like sketches. Wonderful!
Thanks, Marina. It’s sort of difficult to see the dimension but I kind of like the abstracted look of these.
stunning
Thank you, Bella!
interesting
Good! thanks for your comment. 🙂
Truly exquisite! Had never heard of the creature!
Thanks you, Madhu. A captivating little creature!
An elusive little guy who makes a great model;)
He was a great model, but you are right, a bit elusive…
These are beautiful.
Thanks so much, Michael.
These are very beautiful – I like them a lot!
I’m glad you do. Thank you, Spiller.
i just had to come back to enjoy these photographs once again.
karen, you have turned a simple plastic bucket into a macro set, providing not only perfectly even illumination but also the most unobtrusive of backgrounds. especially, you have generated images which would look as good on the cover of a scientific journal as they would hanging on the wall of an art gallery.
i find this, as well as the photos themselves, to be little short of magic. thanks for proving it can be done.
Alessandro, thank you for your very kind words. I love getting such a reaction! I am charmed by the little sea jellies myself. 🙂
I knew it looked tiny!!!!! This is amazing Karen!!! Wherever did you find this creature? In my 9th grade biology class, we had this vernal pool project where we took a sample of rainwater… I made drawings of every creature I found! This post (and last) takes me back. Thank you and great work! 🙂
Thanks, Polly! this little jelly is from the Atlantic Ocean (Cape Breton). I have another jelly post to come. They are very fascinating little creatures, I agree.
A tiny, delicate beauty, this little sea jelly. Stunning captures, Karen.
They all look like abstract paintings. Beautiful!