# Aquarium specific photography tips



## pariahrob (19 May 2012)

Hi all,

I've been a photographer for a long time and regularly write for the photographic press, so I am comfortable around cameras and associated gear.
However I'm fairly new to the whole aquascaping scene and I wondered if you had any good tips and tricks related to shooting aquariums. Lighting from above, using the tank lights seems obvious, to avoid glare and I've read about turning off filters for motion blur but what else can I do?

I've given my glass a really good clean today, as I want to shoot some decent pictures this evening, once it's dark. Where do you stand on focal lengths? Up close with a wide lens or back off with a telephoto? Very different results but what do you prefer?

What about removing other tank gear? I was thinking of taking out all my glassware for a clean look.

Then there are the fish! Is there a trick to getting them in a good position?

Any help gladly appreciated.


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## MisterB (19 May 2012)

good lighting was always the tip i got handed.

flash guns from above seem to work well but ive never tryed that. tripod is also another great idea.

try and make the room as dark as possible, i bring down my blind in the window, turn all stuff off in the room, and i have some black towels i drape over things near the tank to reduce glare reflections in the glass.

clean glass inside and out is a must, the amount of times ive taken photos to see a big dirty smear in the image lol.

im by no means a photographer, but i try and pick up hints and tips along the way, and the only reason i  had access to DSLR camera is because my father used to do alot of underwater photography with his Diving.

id love to see some of your work


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## Aqua sobriquet (19 May 2012)

Current vogue seems to be low camera angle with a wide lens and get water surface ripples for effect!


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## pariahrob (20 May 2012)

Thanks chaps. I might try bouncing a flash from above for some extra light. Good idea, as long as I can direct it enough.

Wide lens and ripples. Hmm. Brings me to my next question. Remove lily pipes and use a hairdryer, or leave them in?


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## Aqua sobriquet (20 May 2012)

Leave them in as long as they're clean!


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## Mark Evans (20 May 2012)

It all depends on whether or entering competitions or not. If you are, the remove all hardware. If its just for forum use, then leave them in.


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## Stickleback (20 May 2012)

If you really want to do it right shoot on film. Digital still can't get that chlorophyll green quite right in my opinion. Take the link below as a cross section of good digital tank photography. The highlights of the greens always look electric.

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2011/index0f.html

And before anyone jumps down my throat, I am not someone who always thinks the way we used to do things was better. I shoot digital for almost everything, but this is one of the few situations where I would consider getting the film camera out.

S


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## pariahrob (20 May 2012)

Thanks all.

I think I'll shoot with and without and see what I like most then. I'm still umming and ahhing about entering contests. I'm not good enough to get anyway but I feel like it's important to get involved, so might well do.

I'd have loved to have shot this on my old mamiya medium format but I've not used film for nearly ten years now. Not since I got my first 10x8 digital scan back for shooting miniatures. That was a painful job!


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## Morgan Freeman (20 May 2012)

A tripod is a must! I also spend ages messing around with the lighting just to get about 1 decent snap out of 20!


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## Mark Evans (20 May 2012)

I really dont think film is needed. With the power to change white balance, hue and saturation, digital is far better than film. Hands down. 

hence why hassleblad are now producing digital backs for their cameras


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