Focus on Life - Up Close and Personal

China Rockfish - his pectoral fin remind me of fingers!

This week Sally has challenged us to explore the details of the ordinary up close with macro photography.  Since I seem to be on a fish kick, I thought I'd share a few closeups of some of my favorite friends from the local aquarium. 

I took a number of shots trying to catch the movement of this China Rockfish's pectoral fins.  Rather than a solid fin, it's composed of individual streamers that seem to fan somewhat independently, in waves of motion.  

Spiny Lumpsucker

This little guy is only about two and a half inches long.  Isn't he cool?  There are so many interesting things about him - all the little spikes, how fast his fins fan (you can't even see his pectoral fins in this shot, they're moving so fast - like a hummingbird's wings), his bright blue eyes.    Then there's his name - Spiny Lumpsucker!  So named because he also has a suction cup on his belly for attaching himself to reef rocks.

Another rockfish

This shot is straight out of the camera - the slight graininess is from pushing my macro to the limits to catch this guy.  He's yet another species of Rockfish, but I think he looks like a dragon. 

Thanks again Sally for this week's prompt.  To see what others decided to study up close and personal, take a gander over at The Studio Sublime and Week 14 of Sally Rusic's Focus on Life photography series.