Fish photography tips and tricks

[2wheelsx2]

May I ask how you are photographing the fish? Is it with an overhead flash or is that the tank lighting? I really like the effect where it's bright white in the foreground, but with lots of shadows in the back. How is the tank lit? T5, MH, or some combination?

[MatsP]

Haavard can explain better than me, but essentially it's studio strobes and a Canon Digital camera.

You can get relatively good pictures using something along these lines:
ISO400-800
SS 1/125-1/250
Aperture 8-11.
Flash bounced onto a piece of card or similar (ideally a bouncebox or such).

Usually you need manual focus and perhaps also manual flash setting to half or full power.

--
Mats

[2wheelsx2]

Thanks Mats. I was wondering if that's how the shots were composed. I have a lot of trouble getting my plecs to come out for shots.

[Haavard Stoere]

When photographing with flash as I usually do:
I use manual settings of around: Iso 100-200, Speed 1/100-1/250, aperture 6-32. Manual whitebalance (can`t remember the number).
Lighting is 1-9 portaflash (usually 2-3) above the tank.

[Haavard Stoere]

The two latest pictures were taken without flash, but with rather long exposure. Therefore the tetras have much movement blur. My theory is that high quality pictures taken without external flash are "lucky shots". With external flash you can shoot quality images routinely.

[MatsP]

I agree, external flash improves the rubish to good ratio from 1 in many dozen to 1 in every few. There are of course always the fish that can mess things up - they move, or another one swims between the camera and the subject fish...

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Mats

[Haavard Stoere]

Absolutely. People always talk about the newest hottest cameras and lenses and what they can achieve. The truth is that an old used camera worth around 100-200 euros equipped fith external light will make better pictures than a new camera worth 1000-2000 euros without the flash. The best thing is of course to have both the new camera and the flash.

I use three fixed lenses (no zoom):
Sigma 30mm 1:1.4 to shoot a whole tank when I can`t get enough distance.
Canon 50mm 1:2.5 to shoot a whole tank when I can get the distance. Also for photographing large fish.
Canon 100mm 1:2.8 to shoot small fish, fry, shrimps, eggs and everything small. I also like to photograph large fish at great distance with this lens as it gives a very deep focus area. This lens is next to useless without external flash.

[2wheelsx2]

Yes, I agree. I haven't got a flash cable yet so my flash is hotshoe mounted. I'll have to invest some money in that cable and a bigger flash next year. Thanks for all the tips. Unfortunately, I can't translate all of your settings directly, since I use a Nikon D5000 and the 28-55 kit lens that came with it, but those suggestions give me good baselines and I'm hoping to start collecting some lenses (unless I upgrade to a D700 to get full frame.

[MatsP]

Both me and Haavard have 1.6x cropped sensor sizes. The Nikon should be able to manually set the shutter speed and aperture settings.

You select "M" mode on the top "select how the camera works" knob.
Then I'm afraid I don't know exactly what you do to select the shutter speed and aperture - it almost certainly involves the wheel on the top back of the camera, but you will need to press some button to select one of those setting.

--
Mats

[2wheelsx2]

Cool. Thanks. I didn't realize you guys were shooting DX.

Yeah, I can go full manual, but I usually use P (Programmed mode). The lousy thing about the D5000 is that some functions are only available through the menu's rather than at your fingertips like with the D90 that I was originally going to buy (but decided to save a couple of hundred $$ and buy fish instead). All the shots I made in the "My new acquisitions" thread were done that way, with ISO set at 1000 to 2500 with ambient tank lighting (180 watts of T5 colourmax and 10000 K) and no flash.

Anyway, I'm taking this way off topic, so maybe I'll search around for photo tips from other threads and start a fish photography thread.

[MatsP]

I split the photo discussion to a separate thread - I'm also moving it to "Speak Easy".

Anyone who has some suggestions/hints/tips of how to take good photos of fish, please do so.

--
Mats

[2wheelsx2]

Another question I had for you guys who take the spectacular photos is your camera "approach". I've heard different ways of doing it, but the way I do it to minimize reflection and get the best focus is to pin the lens against the aquarium glass. For the guys using remote strobe flashes, is this necessary?

[MatsP]

I have never used that particular technique, but I do understand that it can work OK.

One part of the using short exposure time and small aperture is that it reduces the amount of "other than flash" light from having much effect on the picture.

Other tips are:
- Be VERY meticulous about cleaning the glass.
- Wear dark clothing, avoids your clothes reflecting in the glass.

--
Mats

[Shane]

Other tips are:
- Be VERY meticulous about cleaning the glass.
- Wear dark clothing, avoids your clothes reflecting in the glass.

1) Try to photo fish in aquariums after dark and with all the fishroom lights off to reduce glare.

2) If you need to grab lights off other tanks to add more light to the tank you want to take pictures of just for the photo session.

3) A tripod! Best placed in font of a comfortable chair. Now pour an adult beverage and wait. In time the animals will relax and come out and you'll get the good shots.

4) You will delete 20 plus pics for every good one. Thank goodness we are not still using film. My first "fish camera" was an SLR with slide film. Yes, we used to present Kodachrome slides as our peresentation at fish conventions. Some were always upside down and someone always dropped the slide carousel 5 minutes before your presentation.

5) Make, and use, a good photo tank. Mine is a 2.5 gallon. I lined the back, sides and bottom with roofing slate. Stops the flash from reflecting and provides a nice neutral background for ID type photos.


-Shane

[Farid]

hi guys,
i hope this helps a bit to understand how i work...(i got asked to explain)

One method for blown up pictures is a Macro 105mm 2,8 AF mounted on the PB-6. a SB23 as Flashlight on a TTL cord attached to the flashshoe on top of the cam


here you see the same system with a 50mm/1.4 Manual retro mounted (lens is 180° turned) on a PB-6 with IR-Flashsystem you see the flashlight laying on top of a milky acrylic glass on top of the little fototank.


here you see the set up i made most of the pics if i dont need very closeups or massive enlarged fishes it's a new 105mm/2.8 Macro VR lens in combination with the TTL cord.


the same pics i get also with a 105mm/2.8 AF... or any other lens!
i still use manual lenses on my digital cam like the 50mm one combined with tubes. converters or the PB-6. i put my flashlight on top of aquarium and place it above the fish, stone what ever i can get. and then i wait until the fish passes or i follow it. soon as it passes under the flash i push the button. this takes time but some fish always make the same round and they pass at the same spot over and over again.
sometimes i place the flash behind the fish and flash to the front (backlight).

i hope this helps a bit to get the pics sharp i use faster shutterspeeds then the cam is giving me in the normal flash program which usually is 1/60. so i switch to the program M (manual) set the shutterspeed to 1/60 or 1/200 according to this i need to adjust the aperature. i switch my flash to manual aswell and take a few shots of stones or anything to check the intensity of the flash.

maybe i need to set a smaller aperature (small means the number goes up. 2.8 is big, while 32 is small!!!) the smaller the apperature is, the stronger the flash will be. as the camera needs the same amount of light going through a small hole (iris). the object will be sharp even when is not that sharp in the finder. settings like this give a black background because the flashlight is strong and the aperature small.

as bigger the aperature is the less light will be needed to take the pic because according to a small aperature that needs a lot of light it is now the opposite...the aperature is big, less light will make the same pic. BUT the background will be better visible! AND the fish needs definetly to be focused sharp!

the best results you'll get if the fish is parallel to the lens !



so you dont need to close the apperature much. that means also the flash light will not flash with it's max. energy...the fish is sharp and you still some of it's background(plants stones what ever there is.



Give it a dry try
you need to set your program on A (time automatic) this means you choose the aperature! or better the depth of sharpness !!



you can try to check what the apperature does if you place three objects (bottles, maches) in front of the cam on a table. place them on three levels like 30cm 40cm 50cm)...away from the cam. leave the cam always on the same position!

always when you set the aperature note the shutter speeds the camera measures you automaticaly so you will understand what happenes when you close or open the apperature...

1.set the aperature on 2,8 (maybe only 3,5 or worse 4.5 depending on the lens)focus on the middle one... take the pic!
result:--->only the middle object will be sharp



2. adjust the focus still on the middle one but close the aperature (iris). this means set in on a higher number like 11 16 or even 32. the shutterspeed will be slower!
result--->you will realize that the picture taken with a higher aperature will make the three objects sharp from the front to the back!



you also realized if you check the shutterspeed that the shuttertime got longer...this means you need a tripod otherwise the picture will be unsharp as you cant hold it still (if taken by hand), or worse you got a object that is moving around while the pic get's taken.

the smaller the aperature setting is, the less depth of sharpness you will get! the faster the shutter will be the easier it will be to take the photo without the tripot...the crapier it will end to try to close the apperature at least 2 steps...colouring will be a bit darker and more intensiv


the same light the same fish but with a much stronger flash. means i leave the shutterspeed but i close the apperature less light come through according to that the flashlight is much stronget . the depth sharpness is on it's max but the background will appear dark or even black!



this is easier with a wideangle lens BUT it will be hard entering the macro range!
as in macro the object is blown up, each little move is much worse than if you take a landscape photo with a wideangle lens!!! so to eliminate this in aquaristic photos we use a flashlight. it will be the flash that helps us to freeze the fish on it's position using always the same shutter speed (1/60 up to 1/200). so pictures can be taken with no tripod.



the most important is to hold the lens ALWAYS in a 90° degree angle to the frontglas of the aquarium! try to focus on something and start changing your angle to the aquarium...it will be impossible to get it sharp again!! as we are in the macro range again this get's worse much faster than if we take the shot from a distance!



so you just try to change the apperature and you will see the that the flash gets stronger or less strong...

hmm what else to explain...

i switch off all the light behind me so i dont get reflections of myself or the lens. at night time it's the easiest way.



for the ones who work already with a flash light and aperture settings...you can move you depth of sharpness while you turn your focus wheel on the lens back and forwards. like this you decide from where to where your photo will be sharp...of course it takes time to adjust everything but if you found your basic settings things get easier and you can exactly get what you want!




most of the time at least if you get a cramp stop and and have a drink !!

good luck

farid

[MatsP]

Farid,

Good write up!

Would you like me to merge this with the "hints for fish photography", so that we can keep all "here's how you photograph fish" in one place?

--
Mats

[Farid]

hi mats,
no problem for me:)
i could even post more things about fromt lights backlichts how to get it well with particles in the water etc...

rgds
farid

[2wheelsx2]

Nice tips. Thanks.

[apistomaster]

If you can afford them, a pair of wireless slaved flashes on the top of the cover glass is a big help in obtaining enough light from the right direction in addition to a frontal flash at 90* to the front glass.

[MatsP]

Now merged...

--
Mats

[PeterUK]

hi mats,
no problem for me:)
i could even post more things about fromt lights backlichts how to get it well with particles in the water etc...

rgds
farid

If you have the time how about a series of articles about different photo 'tips' for the 'all the gear but no idea' people like me !

[samoht333]

yeah that would be great I always see these beautiful fish pictures of fish on websites and mine usually turn out faded or with my reflection!

[L number Banana]

Good info Farid!

And who is this beauty?

[bronzefry]

If I hit the lottery, I'll purchase a proper camera with all the trimmings. For now, it's my 7 year-old Nikon Coolpix on the macro setting. A lot of the same excellent tips apply, though and you'll get decent enough photos of your fish. Sort of.
Amanda

[andywoolloo]

yeah I have been scoping out the Nikon coolpix p90, glenny says he uses a p80 but i cannot locate that.

I do not understand half the verbage all you camara savvy people are putting in this thread! But I do appreciate this thread. The fish picture tank is a good one.

[MatsP]

Before buying any camera, go to a shop that has one that you can "play" with. Try it out. There are two tests you should try:
1. "Drop the keys" - hold out a set of keys or similar and hold out at arms length. Focus on the keys, and press the shutter at the same time as you drop the keys. A good camera should be fast enough that the keys are in the picture.

I have an older Nikon Coolpix camera, and the number of times I've taken a picture of something that happened slightly after what I actually wanted to take a picture of is quite large (I also have an expensive DSLR, which is indeed fast enough to do this sort of thing very well, but it's bulky and not suitable for "when you want something to fit in your pocket").

2. Close-up test. Take a photo of a coin or something like that. Check that it's sharp.

--
Mats

[andywoolloo]

great ideas thanks! I 'll do that and we have a Boots camara here that probably lets you test them. I never thought to even ask to test the camara out. Guess I have never bought a high dollar camara before.

[L number Banana]

andywoolloo wrote:

great ideas thanks! I 'll do that and we have a Boots camara here that probably lets you test them. I never thought to even ask to test the camara out. Guess I have never bought a high dollar camara before.

We don't necessarily have a 'test the camera first' thing here but almost every camera I've tried recently had some kind of money back deal if you aren't happy with it in a certain amount of time, usually 15 days.
I've always been pretty upfront about why I was asking about the money back thing so I wouldn't be caught with someone saying that you can only return it for store credit.

[MatsP]

I just had a quick look at the Nikon Coolpix p90, and it's quite an expensive camera, one of those that is "almost DSLR". Now if it was me, I'd seriously consider spending another $100 (give or take a bit, depending on where you get it from, etc) on a proper SLR model. They are almost as easy to use, but have the added advantage that you can add more to the camera later on - ranging from a better lens to multiple flash systems, strobe lights like Haavard uses, etc, etc. Further, the sensor is bigger (which makes for better image quality, especially when it's a bit dark).

It's obviously your choice, but both Canon and Nikon have "beginners" DSLR camera kits in the $500-range.

Either way, find a local camera shop, ask the staff to have a feel/try of the camera(s) you are considering. Hold it for more than 5 minutes.

--
Mats

[2wheelsx2]

It's too bad Nikon stopped making the D40. From my research, nothing beats it for bang for buck. When they got discontinued, we could buy them here with a kit lens for < $400 Cdn.