Rook  three interpretations came to me:
Are you feeling insecure about the relationship your partner and father has? It doesn't have to mean that you think they are betraying you, but perhaps you feel they bond better or you feel like a third wheel (as sweetsunray mentioned) in the equation esp when they put their heads together from an occupational standpoint. You feel that somehow you just don't measure up or fit in the equation of things at times and it can be stifling you emotionally and causing insecurities, but you don't know how to express this consciously and so your dreams serve as an outlet. You seem to have a good handle on these feelings though and are prepared to face them.

I think the dream also speaks to your natural independent personality and that sometimes it is okay to seek help or lean more on your love ones when you need it, in terms of the father representing the self reliant, solid, independent aspect of yourself and your partner representing the more soft vulnerable feminine aspect of yourself. Again as somebody who tries to be logical and rational all the time in your waking life, the dream may be serving as a form of emotional outlet.

From a spiritual outlook it may also be refering to your role as the knowledge seeker. As you learn more and observe the belief systems of others, you find they become less relevant to you, this sort of knowledge is no longer nourishing to your total self. This comes out in your father - the masculine rational authoritative half of yourself and your partner - your feminine emotional aspect of yourself studying the fish and it not being edible. As you grow in spiritual knowledge and become more spiritually elevated, you find you also grow out of touch with the material world, the world as you knew it in the third dimension. You find you become an outsider looking in, you feel out of touch of your relationships with loved and close ones, as well as with the things that were once your passions or of interest to you in life. A disconnect forms and you dont understand why but the tangible things of this world just somehow don't appeal to you anymore. You can look in from the outside with empathy and objectivity now, it feels weird and you try and find a way to connect again (you going for the camera to take pics), but it doesn't work, because there is just no reversal in the spiritual growth taking place.

Hi Happyme

Thanks for doing this for me.  I think it has helped clarify two main themes to me.

The first theme part was the situation in which I am a third wheel between my partner and father.  This is in photography.  I like to support this mutual interest between the two of them, I feel it is important.  I did once have an interest in photography but it never took off as a fully fledged passion like it is for them.  I do try to play a supporting role by acting in the same role as I do in the dream, that of pack-mule.  Basically the assistant role, carrying equipment, sorting lenses and lens caps.  I don't feel important in that role, but as I reflect as I watch, what is important is the two of them bonding as it were.  But that is where the emotional conflict comes in, as I don't really have these bonding ties to my family.  Not anymore anyhow.  I guess I am a bit jealous, but that is in conflict with how glad and proud I feel of my dad and partner.  It is important to me that she gets along with my family.

I think you are quite right on the spiritual outlook.  In terms of the seeker what I have gathered is regarding the studying / recording process.  I have felt inclined to start sort of a 'grail diary' like Henry Jones out of Indy & the Last Crusade, but always my attempts sort of fall through and it doesn't come out the way I want it to.  I have been reconsidering this of late, but what I gather from this dream is that it is sort of a union of my feminine emotional, nurturing side working in unison with my masculine, intellectual (scientest) aspect, working together to understand more of my self, my spirit and my unconscious.  It is this that is far more important than recording what I have learnt and what I have discarded on my spiritual journey.  Basically the journey itself is more important than the products of it.

I think you are right about losing passions in my old interests, as well as the material world.  Some of my old passions I am not passionate about anymore, though I still want to do them but for entirely different reasons.  I am not sure about my relationships with loved ones.  I do feel distanced from them, because this spiritual growth is so personal I feel I can not share it with others.  It sort of makes you feel seperated from the rest of the world.  I fear discussing these things with people because of what they will think, which is quite hypocritical of me because I am always telling other people not to worry about what people think of you, and I certainly wouldn't think someone was weird because of their belief system.  I guess this sense revolves around past experiences in sharing my ideas.  People can be very protective of their belief system and not interested in other ideas, which I have seen first hand.  Also I am afraid people would be bored by my discussions.  I have a nasty hang up based around people walking away from me mid-conversation in my developmental years.  I thought I was boring, but I think I was communicating on the wrong level to the wrong people.

Anyhow, thanks for your input.

Journey on,
Rook

"I have a nasty hang up based around people walking away from me mid-conversation in my developmental years.  I thought I was boring, but I think I was communicating on the wrong level to the wrong people."

Yeah I can relate to that, either that or they change the subject on you completely or ignore you all together, it's like you never spoke. After that I know who to speak to about what. If that makes me hypocrital then I accept that flaw with open arms.

I don't think it makes you a hypocrite for wanting to remain private with your personal spiritual journey. It is something that you are still trying to understand for yourself. If you haven't fully grasp it yet, then how can you effectively convey what you are going through to others? At least that is how I feel as it relate to myself. Aside from that, this journey is so intimate to you, it is about self growth and discovery, it is only natural that you are going to feel instinctively sensitive and secretive about it. Additionally, your intuition may tell you they are not ready for that sort of conversation, if they are not, then it is not the right time. Your guides will tell you when the right time comes (if it does come) to open up to them about it. That is just my take though, as I go through similar issues myself.

Bon voyage, Rook!