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Post your Photo tips here...

post #1 of 68
8/21/06 at 1:10am
Thread Starter 
here are a few tips...

just like all other things in this hobby... patience is the key....

Clean your tank... make sure the glass is clean inside and out... when cleaning the outside (with whatever liquid you choose... vinegar works good), instead of using a cloth or paper towel use newspaper...

If using a flash... turn off the lights (including the tanks lights) and remove or cover up any bright colored items that are around the tank...
if using a flash with the lights on... take your pic at an angle...

If not using a flash... put your camera right up to the tank... this takes patience... and wait for your fish to pass by...

Try to take the pic with your rock in the back ground because most cameras are auto focus nowadays... the rock will give the camera something to focus on...

try several different settings if you are using a digital... try different times of the day and/or night... experiment cuz there really isnt a right or wrong way to take a pic... the only real rule is take many pictures and take em often...
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post #2 of 68
8/21/06 at 2:39am
i have a 7.1mp olympus digital and i wanted a high maga pixel camera to take good tank pics but they always come out a little blurry i have alot of setting including 3 underwater photograph such as macro and under water wides. but how do u get clear picks?
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post #3 of 68
8/21/06 at 4:05am
Thread Starter 
contrary to popular belief... megapixels arent as important as one thinks... megapixels deal more with size of a picture and how big a pic can be... more important are the lens and camera sensors...

dont get me wrong... i wouldnt purchase a camera with 1.2 megapixel...

a good photo editing program can help too...
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post #4 of 68
8/21/06 at 8:19pm
(If you have manual focus)
Turn off the flash and turn on all your tank lights, flash pictures look poor in comparison to the color you get from tank lights. Place the lens of the camera flush with the tank wall and focus on the item you want to capture (obviously easier w/ non moving items such as coral). If you want to take whole tank pics, its best to get a tripod or set up a similar system (Ive used the edge of a chair before with good results). After uploading your picture into an editing program, decrease the brightness and increase the saturation; this will get rid of the “shiny” glare effect and bring out a lot of color.
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post #5 of 68
8/21/06 at 9:20pm
well i found out the reason my pics are so blurry. my acrylic sux i went to a lfs and took some nice pics, very clear.
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post #6 of 68
8/24/06 at 2:56pm
Originally Posted by Clown Boy
Does the fish photography forum include video?

I can see no reason why it wouldn't. It is a very similar media.

What is everyone's preference for taking photos- film or digital? Is either format better?
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post #7 of 68
8/24/06 at 2:59pm
Well, digital is easier and faster to get on to the computer. I use digital for everything.
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post #8 of 68
8/24/06 at 3:50pm
When taking flash pics, stand at an angle in front of the glass. This will stop the flash reflection, from the glass.

Buy a tri-pod...you'll thank me later. They are really invaluable, in this hobby. It's extremely, extremely hard to take non-flash photos, without the pics coming out blurry. The tri-pod will provide a stable platform and the pics wont blur.

If you're trying to get coral pics, turn off the return pumps/powerheads/etc. This will give a stationary subject, instead of blowing around in the current.
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post #9 of 68
8/24/06 at 4:05pm
Great advice ... Also, use that timer feature on the camera with the tripod.

Use aperature priority and let the camera set the shutter speed to maximize light. Large aperature (small f-stop) is for fast moving fish. Small aperature (large f-stop) for small moving critters).


Originally Posted by AW2x3
When taking flash pics, stand at an angle in front of the glass. This will stop the flash reflection, from the glass.

Buy a tri-pod...you'll thank me later. They are really invaluable, in this hobby. It's extremely, extremely hard to take non-flash photos, without the pics coming out blurry. The tri-pod will provide a stable platform and the pics wont blur.

If you're trying to get coral pics, turn off the return pumps/powerheads/etc. This will give a stationary subject, instead of blowing around in the current.
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post #10 of 68
8/29/06 at 11:08pm
TRI-POD TRI-POD TRI-POD!!!!! If you have a bow front like me FORGET IT!!! lol
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post #11 of 68
8/30/06 at 12:19am
Originally Posted by chunks
(If you have manual focus)
Turn off the flash and turn on all your tank lights, flash pictures look poor in comparison to the color you get from tank lights. Place the lens of the camera flush with the tank wall and focus on the item you want to capture (obviously easier w/ non moving items such as coral). If you want to take whole tank pics, its best to get a tripod or set up a similar system (Ive used the edge of a chair before with good results). After uploading your picture into an editing program, decrease the brightness and increase the saturation; this will get rid of the “shiny” glare effect and bring out a lot of color.

this has been a great help when posting pics. Not really good when posting pics for disease or health. I bet alot of the sites on the net are using that contrast option more than they should.
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post #12 of 68
9/6/06 at 11:47pm
Hello--how do make a picture small enough to be your avatar?
Thankyou! :happyfish :happyfish
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post #13 of 68
9/6/06 at 11:58pm
Thread Starter 
Originally Posted by cjml
Hello--how do make a picture small enough to be your avatar?
Thankyou! :happyfish :happyfish
you need a photo imaging program... such as Paint...
the photo has to be 100x100...

open Paint...
open the file you want to reduce...
click image ---> stretch/skew ---> pick % that is close to 100x100
click image ---> attributes... see how big you photo is... (if you make it 100x100 here you will cut your pic... unless its really close to 100x100 then you wont lose much)
if you need to resize click image ---> stretch/skew (the 5's will be back to 100% which is 100% of the current size)... pick the % that you need to reduce...
repeat step #2... repeat all other if necessary...

~or~

if the pic has a URL...

use the part that says "enter the avatars URL" and cut n paste the URL in there...


if all else fails... post the pic you would like resized and someone can do it for you...
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post #14 of 68
9/7/06 at 12:37am
Thankyou! I will try again! :notsure: :happyfish
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post #15 of 68
9/11/06 at 9:36pm
maybe you can buy an underwater case for your camera (i have one for mine) and put the camera in the tank and then take pics. lol.....i think i am kidding, but not sure...i might try that once i get up and running.
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post #16 of 68
9/12/06 at 9:12pm
You sure could get some cool shots that way.
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post #17 of 68
9/13/06 at 8:44pm
Why does everything in this hobby cost so much.

Ok here is what you need.

High end digital camcorder.
High end PC
High end graphics card for that PC
High end video editing software for the PC.

Capture video of the tank for a half hour or so. Somewhere in that half hour of video is that "perfect shot".

Now load all of that vid into your PC. Use the high end video editing software, meaning adobe premier, and advance through the frames patiently in search of that perfect shot. Save frame and viola.

Now re size it and still have it look like crap

And how you obtain adobe premier is no ones business but your own................Bearshare. :joy:
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post #18 of 68
9/13/06 at 8:56pm
Great post!So true!!
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post #19 of 68
9/13/06 at 9:31pm
Thread Starter 
Originally Posted by cjml
Thankyou! I will try again! :notsure: :happyfish
appearently it didnt work for you... post the image and I will resize it for you...

too funny Murph...
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post #20 of 68
9/14/06 at 8:26pm
My advice is basic.
a) learn to use the manual settings
b) unless your an expert or taking pics with the (tank) lights out dont use the flash (which relates to point a. if you learn to use the appropriate exposure time and aperature settings you wouldn't want to use the flash. I dont even use the flash doing outside night shots if there is street lighting.)
c) use a tripod
d) practice. practice can make a cheesy camera shoot good pics and lack of practice can make a great camera take crappy pics. every tank pic I take/post there are 4 or 5 more of the exact same one at different settings. I take 30 pics to get 5 and sometimes dont like any of them.
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