First Attempt at Tank Photography

[Mini Coop]

Hi everyone!

Well, I have a photography business that I run on the side for fun, but I shoot people - NOT FISH! This is a VERY different story! I have also never shot under blue lights. I did a little post processing, but not sure how successful I was.
I have a Canon 5DMarkII. I shot this with a 50 mm 1.8 (shot on 3.2f for most photos). I have the macro extensions, but I got really frustrated with them as I wasn't set up on a tripod and cant zoom with those.
Any feedback or suggestions for future shooting would be great! Enjoy - I just added the Flame Hawk tonight - his name is Oscar. He successfully completed QT!

Also, thank you to @melypr1985 @Humblefish and @Diesel and many more that have helped me to get to this point! I went through ich and now am learning patience and how to take things slow and then slower. I am taking it in and enjoying the process! Now I want to capture the images!

THANKS!

Not sure what this coral is called

Brand New Green Star Polyp rock

Frog Spawn

Leather

Orange Fungia

Marlin and Nemo (Yes, I know they are Male and Female)

Oscar peeking through from the back of the tank

Oscar really likes the branch in the front

Judy the sailfin

Nick the FoxFace

New 3 head Duncan

Starting to look like a real reef!

Halloween Crab

 

[Diesel]

Well done Mrs Cooper!

 

[TUSI]

well done indeed. very nice

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Beautiful shots! I also have a "marlin" and "nemo". Haven't had the gumption to explain to my 4 year old why those names don't really fit. Lol. Made a lot of progress I see. I vaguely remember your tank set up thread here. Great work and a great commitment to doing what's best for your inhabitants! You've done well! Keep it up and look forward to future updates and pics!

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Beautiful pics! And amazing reef!

 

[jp_75]

very nice!

 

[Mini Coop]

Well done Mrs Cooper!

Thank you, Mr. Diesel!

 

[Mini Coop]

Beautiful pics! And amazing reef!

Thank you! I guess I wouldn't quite call it a reef yet, but it is getting there!

 

[Mini Coop]

Beautiful shots! I also have a "marlin" and "nemo". Haven't had the gumption to explain to my 4 year old why those names don't really fit. Lol. Made a lot of progress I see. I vaguely remember your tank set up thread here. Great work and a great commitment to doing what's best for your inhabitants! You've done well! Keep it up and look forward to future updates and pics!

YES! It was quite the ordeal. Long story short - set up in July, with TAP water, no QT (on the advice of an "expert friend" who works at the LFS), 12 fish in 2 months = ich outbreak, loss of 10 fish, and finding my way here in a panic for help. Seriously the best thing that could have happened to me. Now I know how to do things right and intend to help others do the same . . . hopefully BEFORE they make the same mistakes I did.
And yes - my kids are 2 and 3. So . . . Marlin and Nemo it is! All of our fish have names. Some people think its weird. I have an elegance coral as well. He is so incredible I think he needs a name too!

 

[Humblefish]

Beautiful pictures!

 

[Mini Coop]

Beautiful pictures!

Thanks @Humblefish - I hope that you all enjoy this and see it as I d0 - these are the fruits of your labor! I would have given up without you all! Oh yea - and @Brew12 too!

 

[Humblefish]

Thanks @Humblefish - I hope that you all enjoy this and see it as I d0 - these are the fruits of your labor! I would have given up without you all! Oh yea - and @Brew12 too!

No, these are the fruits of YOUR LABOR! We just pointed you in the right direction, you did all the hard work my friend.

 

[melypr1985]

Your tank looks amazing Jena! You've done a great job there.

 

[Maritimer]

You scored some nice shots there, Ms. Cooper!

I particularly like the ones of Oscar in that massive stand of Tonga branch - he looks like some kind of fire-creature, surrounded by the destruction he's wrought . . .

I think the green coral in your first photo is a Goniopora, maybe?

~Bruce, glad to see you're having fun with the tank!

 

[tj w]

Great job Jena, your hard work and dedication to your reef are an inspiration to many here. Keep it up!

 

[Thoms_here]

Great job! Really like the Hawk pic. Love the overall look of your tank and great selection of fish

Are you using a polarizing filter? That has always been a must for me.

Good luck and take care!

 

[Mini Coop]

??

 

[redfishbluefish]

I say this with ignorance and wanting to learn myself, but wouldn't it be easier to white balance the camera first and than take the pictures......no post editing required....just click away. A quick search and I found that your Canon is easily white balanced. HERE's a tutorial showing you how.

I'd also be curious if pre white balanced photos looked different than post edited pictures.

Oh, and nice pictures Ms. Mini.

 

[Mini Coop]

I say this with ignorance and wanting to learn myself, but wouldn't it be easier to white balance the camera first and than take the pictures......no post editing required....just click away. A quick search and I found that your Canon is easily white balanced. HERE's a tutorial showing you how.

I'd also be curious if pre white balanced photos looked different than post edited pictures.

Oh, and nice pictures Ms. Mini.

Thanks @redfishbluefish - yes! It would be easier, however, I couldn't get any of the WB to look right with my lights. I even have a WB meter that I use for portraits, but they still didn't come out like I wanted them to.
Not sure what the deal was. I'll be playing around with it again after next month - my internship portfolio is due at the end of March so no more time to play around with photos of tank. Lol. I shouldn't be on R2R this much either. Haha

 

[Simon Fraser]

Love the details in your pictures, This is something I am going to try when our reef is established