Jazzmyne Haines – Project 1B

The New England Aquarium from the outside, a stainless steel-clad building with a dazzling mural of a right whale and an ornate blue mandala . . . and my thumb in the corner, because I was too excited to notice it was on the lens.
The New England Aquarium from the outside, a stainless steel-clad building with a dazzling mural of a right whale and an ornate blue mandala . . . and my thumb in the corner, because I was too excited to notice it was on the lens.

A colony of African penguins gathered on one of the rocky islands in the water surrounding the Giant Ocean Tank. The ones on the top of the island appear to be on lookout duty.
A colony of African penguins gathered on one of the rocky islands in the water surrounding the Giant Ocean Tank. The ones on the top of the island appear to be on lookout duty.

 

A vivid blue poison dart frog, trying its best to climb up the glass wall of its enclosure.
A vivid blue poison dart frog, trying its best to climb up the glass wall of its enclosure.

 

Dozens of anemones inside of a tank, from several different species, covering the space from top to bottom.
Dozens of anemones inside of a tank, from several different species, covering the space from top to bottom.

 

A sea turtle swimming in the Giant Ocean Tank at the center of the aquarium's complex, a few visitors watching it in awe.
A sea turtle swimming in the Giant Ocean Tank at the center of the aquarium’s complex, a few visitors watching it in awe.

 

A green moray eel, pressing itself against a rock wall with mouth agape, presumably waiting for its next catch.
A green moray eel, pressing itself against a rock wall with mouth agape, presumably waiting for its next catch.

After considering all of the locations I had listed in my previous post, I decided to narrow it down to the location that seemed like it would make for the most entertaining story – Boston, Massachusetts in the fall of 2023. Given the sheer scale of the city, everything that my family did there in a few days, and the fact that we spent more time trying to keep pace with the crowds than actually taking photos, I also decided it would be best to stick with just one place in Boston.

One of the most memorable parts of that trip to me was visiting the New England Aquarium, a massive four-story dome near the docks, home to many species of aquatic animals. I felt like a kid again walking up that spiral ramp, peering through the glass of the tanks, watching all those fish darting past me in bright flashes of color. From anemones swaying in the water like little Dr. Seuss trees in the wind, to green sea turtles gracefully drifting laps around the central ocean tank, there were so many animals in there that I’d never seen before, and I may never see again. When you get caught up in the humdrum of everyday repetition or spend more time with your face in a screen than actually getting out and exploring places, you tend to forget how extraordinary life itself really is. Whether by random chance or the intentional choice of a creator, depending on who you ask, the right molecules combined in just the right way to give Earth’s story a beautifully diverse cast of characters. I love that I exist at the same time as these critters do.

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jazzmynehaines

2 Responses

  1. Correction, the penguins in the photo are rockhoppers. There were also African penguins there, but they’re not pictured here.

  2. I like the angles on some of these. And, since these are mostly photos of tanks, I wonder if you could get creative with how you frame the pictures with the edges of the tank in view? I know you may not be able to retake these photos anytime soon, but perhaps there is something you can tweak in the editing software?

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