Penelope – a Fantail Goldfish

Rachael believes that if you believe in yourself anything is achievable. She is very pleased she never listened to anyone that told her it was impossible to capture the character of a Goldfish in a Portrait. It was just a matter of patience, waiting for Penelope to gracefully circle the vase and fixate her beautiful eyes on Rachael and her camera. To avoid reflections in the glass, Rachael used a square-edged vase for Penelope to swim in and lit the vase from either side, this also helped detail the transparentness of a goldfish’s body. Making Penelope glow. Penelope was only in the small vase for a matter of minutes and was soon returned to her large pond with all of her fish friends.

This image was published in Rachael’s book It’s a Zoo Out There.

Babe was photographed on Rachael’s 4x5 inch Toyo View Camera with Fuji Transparency Film, Rachael lit the vase Penelope was swimming in on either side with two small 1-meter square softboxes.

Rachael recommends this image be framed using a White or Whitewashed Frame, with or without a white border.