“Untanked“

I’ve always found the ocean to be a hidden treasure, a place of wonder. A never ending maze filled with surprises. I’ve always wanted to explore the deep blue sea and all of the creatures that call the water their home. I can admit that even though I admire the creatures of the sea, being in close contact with them seems extremely scary. The aquarium is the closest place that would allow me to see the creatures up close. I remember when I went and got a chance to see the creatures, I wasn’t the same person I was when I came in. Seeing all of the creatures and their relationship with the water made me so intrigued. I remember choosing to take pictures of the jellyfish specifically. There were so many interesting animals that I deemed as beautiful, whether it was the patterns on their skin, or their eyes, or their fur. However, the other animals' looks were what stuck out to me, they were just sitting, miserable, with cute faces. I remember looking out and seeing the jellyfish, doing as they pleased. They weren’t putting on shows, they had no eyes to distract the viewers, they had no fur or even cute faces, to be exact they had no faces. The characteristics that the jelly fish displayed was what captured me. It reeled me in and I had no choice but to photograph them. Some were fast, others slow, some liked to be in the crowd, others shy. As I snapped the jellyfish I longed for their freedom. Though the tank was humongous, I felt that there wasn’t enough space for them to be free and explore. I walked up to the glass because the jellyfish reminded me of myself. They too would not get to see the ocean and all of its wonders because they were stuck in the tank and I was stuck with my fear of getting stung by one of them. I saw their beauty and so I decided to capture it so I could remind myself to take advantage of all the opportunities I had at hand, thinking maybe one day I’ll venture out in the ocean. In that moment I no longer saw them as creatures that would harm me, I saw them as peaceful interesting creatures. The process of me taking the picture was simple, but I believe the picture showcases how complex the jelly fish are. They are not just beings in the water, but they are creatures who travel together, who have different parts to them and I think that’s what makes them exceptionally wonderful. I remember feeling a splash of joy along with guilt throughout my experience . I loved being able to see the animals that I would have ran from in person up close and personal but that feeling of wanting them to be able to explore too came back. I don’t think animals should be put on display, they should be free and able to roam around, not fearing the glass that contains them. But then I felt confused because I enjoyed seeing them. I enjoyed learning about them and learning about ways to protect the ocean. I realized that in order to help make the ocean better, some animals would have to give up their freedom in order for the animals in the ocean to be free, so that we can learn how to help them in the wild. Then I realized that the animals in the aquarium were somewhat heroes and the good thing about it was that maybe the animals behind the glass didn’t even know that they were on display, but I knew and that’s what bothered me. So I wanted to capture their beauty and show their beauty to other people, because even if the jellyfish were put into tanks, at least they were safe. Safe from the evils of humanity. Safe from all kinds of pollution, they were safe and they were seen. By capturing their picture, I could show that they aren’t just creatures from cartoons, but real animals, animals who are heroes, animals who make the seas interesting. They are complex creatures that deserve to be seen. When I took the picture, I didn’t think to wait until they were in a good or cool position, I wanted to capture them as they were. I wasn’t looking to find beauty or something magical, I wanted to capture the jellyfish as is, in their natural existence, their natural habitat. I didn’t care if the shot looked amazing, I wanted to capture them as if they were in the ocean free and happy. No glass, not on display, “untanked" if you will. By capturing them this way, I could imagine a peaceful world with a clean ocean, filled with jellyfish. So the process was heartbreaking, I felt as if I went through hell. My heart yearned for the animals, because I knew that even though I could make it look like they were in the ocean, they would still be in the tank when I left. Once I got home, I touched up the lighting a bit and then I left it how it was. There wasn’t much editing to do because it was real, a real picture that showcased the jellyfish, to once again show that though they sit in a simple picture, they are quite complex creatures that the world should see. Maybe seeing them “untanked” would show them as creatures who didn’t deserve to be in tanks. If I could get people to see them as free, then maybe having animals in their natural habitats will seem normal again and maybe just maybe one day they can be free one day, “untanked”.