(Sketched by a camera.) The gallery of images above are a series of macro photographs of a small juvenile Moon jelly from the genus Aurelia. As I mentioned in the previous post I am revisiting some older sea jelly images and shifting them to black and white because I like how the details and forms are emphasized without the distraction of colour.
(Click on the images to enlarge)
The series of images below are possibly young and very small Pelagia noctiluca jellyfish (mauve stingers). You may notice a little amphipod ‘riding’ on one of them! Apparently many amphipods have symbiotic or parasitic relationships with gelatinous animals such as jellyfish. I’m not sure what’s going on here – perhaps public transportation – but if you take a look at this not very good video I have posted here you’ll get more of an idea.
[These photographs of Atlantic sea jellies were made in Cape Breton in the spring of 2012]
© Karen McRae, 2013
draw and shoot 
Lovely spectral images.
Thank you, Chris!
Truly amazing Karen.
Hi Phil! These creatures are pretty amazing, I’m glad you like them. Thank you.
What a beautiful creature !
I guess, to capture those images, there must be very special expertise and
great patience !
Well done Karen.
Ah, just a bucket and a macro lens. I guess when you are engrossed in what you are doing the patience is there…
Thank you, Yoshizen. : )
stunning!
Thank you, Karl.
I vividly remember these, Karen. Love! Want, want. The circular frame is especially appealing– like looking through a microscope or into a bucket. So scientific but so tender.
Thank you, Anna. I like the circular frame for these too. I think it emphasizes the form of these beautiful specimens.
Beautiful Karen! The jellies I see every summer and it makes me remember many a summer as a child being fascinated by them…I’m still fascinated and your renderings are exquisite..like a delicate drawing…
Hi Marianne, thanks for your comment. They really are fascinating. I was surprised at how many different sorts of jellies can be in one small area of the sea. It is such a diverse world there!
Fluid/solid: the perfect compromise. No matter which state they may masquerade in, they are beautiful!
Thank you, Elena. They are the ultimate in shape-shifters maybe…
Beautiful. Cool video too. I remember when I lived in the northeast seeing lots of jellyfish on the coasts. I have never seen one here on the Pacific coast.
I’m not very good at taking or editing video but the subject seemed irresistible. Thanks for watching, Allen.
no jellies near you on the coast?!
You got me turned on to jellies, so I visited the ones we have where I work…the Reiman Aquarium at Discovery World. Their intricate lines are beautiful, but in motion, they are absolutely mesmerizing.
I just ‘Googled’ your aquarium, Scilla, it looks really beautiful.
Yes, they way they move is gorgeous, isn’t it – pulsing and flowing …
Interesting video
I rarely make or edit video – so it’s not the best – but I thought the movement and the little amphipod were really interesting. Thanks for watching.
Wonderful captures; they remind me of the lumen printing technique!
I hadn’t thought of that but I see what you mean. Thanks!
Fascinating – and beautifully handled 🙂
Thanks very much, I’m happy you find them interesting.
Stunning. Creatures from outer space in a plastic bucket. Amazing.
You never know where you might find creatures from outer space… : )
Thanks very much, Alessandro.
Utterly love what you’ve done with these..they seem from another age..and their names are fabulously intriguing – “Pelagia noctiluca”..so nice to say and so evocative..
Hi Cath, thanks for your comment – it’s been fun to take another look at these.
I know I have “jewelry on the brain” but Karen, these are like little jewels, all in themselves. So delicate and so beautiful. I do not miss any color at all – in fact, the b&w does emphasize the beauty of them (just as you said, color would be more distracting.) I really love these!
Thanks, Patricia. They are lovely forms, and so tiny – they would make lovely jewelry, I’m sure!
Not so much public transportation as a fairground ride (I watched the video). Beautiful photographs/ drawings, Karen! I agree with Cath – they look like they belong in another time.
Your right, Richard, a fairground ride is more like it! I wonder if those little amphipods get seasick? I’m glad you like them, thank you.
Fabulous sketches Karen. Such talent.
I can’t begin to imagine how you capture these macros, I was reminded of that fabulous David Attenborough series a while ago, The Blue Planet. It really is a whole other universe under the sea..
I haven’t seen any of that (I don’t watch TV) – is it worth picking up a DVD of that series do you think? Thanks for your comment, Adrian.
I think you would love it Karen. Like you I don’t watch TV but I have watched these. I have a whole collection of Attenborough DVDs and for the photography alone, they are definitely worth watching. I found this particular series fascinating.
organic… monochromatic…love ’em!
Thanks, John!
The top set are like little exotic umbrellas, and the second ones are extra-terrestrials, little spaceships hurrying on their own business. The video is great, especially the goggle-eyed passenger!
The passenger is kind cute, eh? Thanks, Anna!
In the video, the movement reminds me of human heartbeats. The second set is particularly beautiful, to my eye.
The movements are interesting, yes, like a heartbeat – thanks for watching.
My pleasure!
Beautiful! Beautiful!
Thank you, Ashley!
Very wonderful Karen. There is something about this transluscent radial symmetry that is other-worldly.
The video is very nice too. I hear the sound like an oar or paddle rattling in a boat, which gives a little extra boost to the imagination.
Thanks, Ehpem. They are rather other-worldy looking I think. I’m glad you like them!
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed, Karen!
Hey thanks, Allen! : )
These look fantastic. I do like how the black and white makes things… simpler…
I like them in black and white too. Thanks for your comment, Soul Walker.
Sketches from the sea…I like that description. Thank you for sharing these!
I thought the black and white made them look a lot like sketches, thanks for commenting!
Nothing but wonderful.
Thank you!
Thanks again for mesmerizing sketches.
So beautiful! Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks very much, I’m glad you find them interesting.
Jellies! (I just love saying that.)
One of the beautiful reminders that shapes and patterns repeat themselves on Earth and in the cosmos.
It’s a good word! : )
Yes, these patterns and shapes repeating in nature are always fascinating. Thanks for your comment, Anna.
Beautiful blog, glad I discovered
Thanks very much, I’m glad you think so!
It seems Cape Breton is my new buzz word…I’d not heard of the place before and (in the last couple of months) I KEEP hearing about it…love it when that happens!
Thanks for sharing!
Cape Breton is gorgeous! Well worth a visit if you can manage it.
I’ve more Cape Breton images posted here if you are interested: https://drawandshoot.me/?s=Cape+breton
Meticulously sketched
Thanks very much.
Stunning images. Wow.
Thank you, they are lovely little creatures!
These are stunning!
Thank you, Miranda.
Reblogged this on everyday.
Very cool. I’m a lover of jellyfish, and find these images mesmerizing.
Thanks, Corianne. They are intriguing creatures, aren’t they.
Reblogged this on Homie Williams. and commented:
— J.W.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed! The images are beautiful. You must have a lot of patience 🙂
Thanks very much, Archie.
I guess when I am immersed in photography I often don’t notice the time. It is something I immensely love.
simple superb pics
Thanks very much, Kaden.
Brilliant images! Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Thank you! They are very photogenic creatures.
Lovely, completely enchanting drawings.
Thanks very much, I hope you realize that these are actually photographs, I wish I could draw like this!
excellent
!
thanks
Thanks for stopping by!
Magnificent. I showed it to my nephew who loves jellyfish, he became a fan of your work. And I agree with the details a black and white can bring out as against the color.
Thank you for sharing and congratulations on being freshly pressed.
Thanks very much for your comments, I guess your nephew is a kindred spirit.
oh indeed he is 🙂
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed! Awesome photographs in B&W, gives a whole different perspective.
Thanks very much, Mary! Yes, it’s interesting how it emphasis the details when the colour is gone.
I do like the black and white for these.
Thank you, Sandra!
Your work is gorgeous! As someone who appreciates photography and psychology, your wrapped tree series had me wowed. And your other areas of focus also happen to be among my favorites for photos. Ah, jellyfish….endlessly evocative. The seed series slayed me. Do you make prints available, by chance? Lovely eye you have, thank you!
Hi Eve, thanks very much for your comments, your kind words are much appreciated.
I do sell prints but I’ve not finished setting up an online way to do it -hopefully soon. I’ll leave a note here when its done if you are interested. I’m glad you like the various series!
Wow! Great talent!
Hey, thank you, I’m glad you think so.
Cosmic! Although a meeting with them might not be painless, but they are visually beautiful creatures 🙂
Thank you. Yes, perhaps these very small ones wouldn’t be too painful but I wasn’t about to find out…
❤ jellyfish
Amazing Creatures
beautiful and stunning
getting an idea of how it looks on the inside. i often see the outside only not the inside.
Great images. And thanks for the info on amphipod jellyfish relationships. Who knew?!