• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Here is the proof...

Its a cracking shot, real moody, a bit like the photographer ;) :lol: :lol:
 
Dan Crawford said:
Its a cracking shot, real moody, a bit like the photographer ;) :lol: :lol:

OK Crawford, outside now. :lol:

This tank doesn`t have a name yet. How about "The Grumpy Old Sod"?

I think I will need a little more light from somewhere to show up the shadows more. There is a fair bit of detail in there. Either that, or I might go with a black background and keep it moody. :twisted:

Dave.
 
dave mate, you gota play on that background you already have. fire a flash in the foreground (from above of course, but then you knew that) bang another light from the back, get the hairdryer out and bingo!

looks cracking mate!
 
Cheers Mark. This was taken with an overhead flash fired wireless remotely. I couldn`t find anyone to hold a second against the background. Using it on the background left the foreground in darkness. :?

Bloody Nikon....they give you wireles remote flash, but I still need a cable release for the shutter. I can`t figure that one out. My D40 shutter can be fired with a wireless remote, but then I can`t use the on board flash in commander mode.

I`m still going to have to get the detail out in the shadows, though. Either I`ll use the 50mm which is phenomenal in low light, but possibly have blurred fishes, or get a little studio lighting from my camrea club. I could also force it a little with CS3, but I don`t think competition pics are supposed to be tweaked. Maybe I`ll just forget comps for now, they seem to suck the fun out of the hobby a bit. :rolleyes:

Dave.
 
Dave Spencer said:
...I`m still going to have to get the detail out in the shadows, though. Either I`ll use the 50mm which is phenomenal in low light, but possibly have blurred fishes, or get a little studio lighting from my camrea club...
Yeah, but if you use the larger apertures on the 50mm you'll just blow out those scrumptious midtones - which are perfect right now. Go and harass Bob for those lights... :p

Cheers,
 
Hi Dave, is the hygrophila corymbosa 'compact' still there? i cant notice it in the pictures. did the leaves turn bronze/red?
 
stuworrall said:
Have you thought of using the timer instead of remote release?

D`oh! :rolleyes: Mind you, I was in a rush.

George Farmer said:
Sweet shot, Dave. I really like it, from an aquascaping and photography perspective.

Cheers George. I think I may start to photograph my tanks a little more and experiment a little. I have a 105mm macro that hardly ever gets used. :oops:

ceg4048 said:
Yeah, but if you use the larger apertures on the 50mm you'll just blow out those scrumptious midtones - which are perfect right now. Go and harass Bob for those lights... :p
Cheers,

Cheers Clive. I`m not sure if I have ever used the 50mm. The 14-24mm seems to be spot welded to my camera at the moment. I may even "go long" like Saintly.

tanker said:
Hi Dave, is the hygrophila corymbosa 'compact' still there? i cant notice it in the pictures. did the leaves turn bronze/red?

Hi Tanker. The plant is Hygrophila corymbosa "siamensis" 53B. The stem turns brown and woody, but the leaves stay a pale green. I can`t figure out the problem with it. I have planted some in the opposite corner, which is just visible in the latest pic, just to see if it is a flow problem or not. Maybe it just doesn`t like the conditions. I suppose there is a plant out there for all of us that will have us struggling. :oops:

Dave.
 
George Farmer said:
Sweet shot, Dave. I really like it, from an aquascaping and photography perspective.

Cheers George. I think I may start to photograph my tanks a little more and experiment a little. I have a 105mm macro that hardly ever gets used. :oops:
[/quote]
The 105mm makes a great portrait lens too, especially with your big ol' clumsy sensor! lol :D
 
I never thought of using it for portraits. Most of my kid pics are candids on the 50mm in crap light, but the 105mm should perform well too at f2.8! Cheers George.

By the way, fish choice is Honey Gouramis, Copper harlequins and Boraras maculata (had doubts about these little ones). I think all these types compliment each other really well. They add a nice touch of orangy red. I may try and capture a shot with them all together.

Dave.
 
Quick question Dave... I notice the glassware you're using looks like the ones regularly seen on eBay. I've been looking for 2 sets for my 2x ex1200 setup and had discounted these as I didn't like the look of the outlet. How do you find them? Do you get a good flow pattern from them?

Do you find having them either end works well? I've been looking at having them both on the right of my tank, pointing left. Just interested in your experiences with them, before I bite the bullet and go with £90 Cal-Aqua ones that I really can't afford ;)
 
Hi Steve,

I think they are PM glass from AE. A bit cheaper than Cal Aqua, but similar quality, with the outlet pointing in the more conventional upwardish direction. The inlets are fluted with several slots, so the smaller critters don`t disappear in to the filter.

One thing I like about them, as opposed to cheaper ones, is that you get two sucker mounting points per glass item, making it easier to mount them on the side of the tank.

I would say that the cheaper eBay items perform just as well. There seems to be quite a bit of choice outn there.

Hope this helps, Dave.
 
This hobby hates me sometimes. :arghh:

I have just spent the last week or two getting ready for the competition photo....water changes, finessed pruning etc, when I noticed the moss getting matted in spirogyra one day when I got back from work. Lo and behold, the bloody CO2 had run out. So now I have somehow got to get the moss looking good again.

When is the closing date for the IAPLC...the end of this month?

Dave.
 
is that the ADA one? Is there a later one? I was hoping to enter a tank this year.
 
I think the AGA comes a little later, Garuf.

Judge George may be able to give a date. Either that, or have a look on The Aquatic Gardeners website.

Dave.
 
Cheers, Dave, George.
If you really want a quick fix on the moss (bare in mind this only works on moss stones, not wood) Take the moss get one of those huge sweet jars and add 1ml of easycarbo then stick in in pitch black for 3-4 days water change every day with 1ml in. I got rid of my algae that way more or less effortlessly.
 
Back
Top