Reflections

Last year, I gave my husband a compact underwater camera last Father's Day and on Mother's Day this year, we went to Balboa Park and took these cool underwater photos of the Koi pond in front of the Botanical Gardens. Many were very intrigued with my husband dipping the camera underwater and snapping up photos. And the photos came out wonderful even though he was kind of in the blind. He lured the fish to his fingers and watched them from above before snapping the picture. Even better, I rarely open my eyes underwater and these photos were incredible with the fish appearing right up front as if flying by you as well as the wonderful surface reflection at the top.

In the reference photo, the middle fish did have it's tail torn off and I didn't alter it in order to show the cute orange fish in the background who also contributes with the overall design & flow of the composition. The fish also had its faced obscured by another little orange fish and I had to eliminate it and create a new face. I enjoyed improvising all the fish, the negative space, the water, rocks on the bottom, and especially the surface light reflections. I'll be entering that into the San Diego Watercolor July show "Finding the Light" later this June.

"Orchid" was juried into the fine art show at the San Diego Del Mar Fair and tomorrow evening is the the reception and awards show. Since the early 70s, I've been going to the fair especially to see the fine arts show and I'm so excited to have my first painting be included this year!