I had a very relaxing walk this morning and decided to drop by my friend’s place. Just beside the house is a koi pond that I secretly feel a bit jealous of. If I had something like that at home, I think I’d spend a lot more time just sitting there, doing nothing but watching the fish move around.
There’s something very calming about koi. They don’t rush. They glide slowly, almost like they’re aware that people are watching them. That gentle movement actually makes them easier to photograph. I didn’t have to chase focus or react quickly. I could just wait, frame, and click at the right moment.
Of course, the koi are very colorful in real life, but I ended up converting the photos to black and white anyway. Color is beautiful, but monochrome has a different kind of mood that I really enjoy. It turns the pond into a dark, quiet space and makes the light on the fish stand out more. The reflections on the water, the soft gradients on their bodies, and the contrast between bright scales and dark water all become more noticeable.
In black and white, these koi feel a bit nostalgic, like old photos from another time. Instead of just being “pretty fish,” they become shapes, tones, and textures swimming through a pool of black.
~ Andri Cauldwell
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