What do you do to get good pictures

ca2or · Jan 17, 2010

This is what I do and use. I have a Canon Powershot SX20IS with a Lensmate Filter Adapter and a Raynox DCR-250 Super Macro Lens fits 52 - 67mm. Both items found here.

Does anyone have any input or advice on what I can do to get better pic's? I still get blurry pic's which I beleive is because I don't have a tri-pod but I plan on getting one.

Question for the guru's, What is the benefit to a Polorazer?

Sorry again for the corny video but I wanted to show what my set up does in comparison to what the camera can do alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcuo6z86F_g

epicenter · Jan 17, 2010

I have no advice for your picture taking skills but I did want to say cool looking tank.

ca2or · Jan 17, 2010

Thank you. I will post up some updated pic's shortly of what has changed in the last month or so.

ca2or · Jan 17, 2010

anyone have any input on whether or not I should get a polarizer and what it does or will do for me?

fishytyme · Jan 17, 2010

not an expert but i dont think you will need it for indoor. the purpose of the polarizer is to cut down on the reflections/glare

this might be a good link for you.

8 Tips For Shooting At The Aquarium | Dolce Pics - Digital Photography Tips

ca2or · Jan 17, 2010

nice link....thank you.

gparr · Jan 17, 2010

A polarizer will not help you. If you're not using a tripod, a good solid set of legs and a quality ball head will make a tremendous difference in the quality of all of your photos. There are at least two threads that discuss various brands to consider. For a general overview of what to look for in a tripod, this article might help.

ca2or · Jan 17, 2010

Thank you nice link

benny z · Jan 17, 2010

you may want to check out the set of legs i bought and posted about in this thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/f54/tripod-boom-arm-recommendations-33931.html

i have found it to be an awesome tripod for my needs (not just top-downs).

ca2or · Jan 17, 2010

How much did that set up run?

benny z · Jan 17, 2010

i was out the door at the local camera shop w/ the tripod and ballhead for $269 w/ tax.

mfinn · Jan 17, 2010

When I take pictures with my point and shoot, I use a tripod like everyone has suggested so far, and I turn off all the pumps in my tank.

jtl2 · Jan 17, 2010

Here's another guide to reef tank photography

Reef Tank Photography Tips : A Quick Guide Light and Matter

ness · Jan 17, 2010

Thats a good article, but I see he takes most of his pictures at 1/350th, 1/500th sec. etc. with low f-stop. I don't see a need for that really. Nothing in the aquarium is really moving at 1/500th of a sec and personally I think f1.4 and f2.8 are way to shallow depth of field for most subjects.

You'll get a lot better pictures easier if you cut all your flow off and shoot with slower shutter speed. Also you can use a look down box to brace yourself and the camera to the tank so no need for a tripod on top-downs. By bracing myself against the tank I can take sharp pictures at 1/20th shutter speed.

The D90 starts getting ISO noise around 320 ISO. I never go above 320 and when possible always keep ISO at its lowest setting.

Sikryd · Jan 17, 2010

I use a point and shoot so I can't help on the pictures part. I leave all my lights on and seem to get the best pictures that way.

I need to get a tripod though!

ReefMatt · Jan 17, 2010

jtl2 said:
Here's another guide to reef tank photography

Reef Tank Photography Tips : A Quick Guide Light and Matter

Just noticed this link to my article (three posts up), so I thought I'd stop by and say hello

Also wanted to comment on Ness' reply. I'm sure that having read my article, you've noticed that I wasn't suggesting that the way I took the photos was the best way... it was just the way that I happened to do it at the time, which was my first real attempt at shooting a reef tank.

As for the wide apertures and fast shutterspeeds: I may have mentioned in the article that the owner of the tank wasn't willing to turn off the pumps, so there was no way to get around movement. The closer that you get to the subject, the faster the shutter speed you'll require to stop the same motion (because the same motion takes up more space in the frame). With macro work, even a 1/500th isn't a guarantee of motion sharpness. This doesn't apply when you're using flash as your main light, of course.

I agree that 1.4 and 2.8 are too shallow for many subjects, especially if you're shooting close up (when depth of field, like shutter speed, must be increased dramatically, for the same basic reason). If you step back a little, though, they can be used to blur the background and separate the subject, which can be useful in a visually complex shot. I'm actually planning on doing a little more reef tank shooting in the coming days, so perhaps I'll have a chance to update the article

As Ever,
Matthew Gore
Light and Matter

ReefMatt · Jan 17, 2010

Here's an example of the shutter-speed issue.

Here, I was using available light, ISO 200, 1/45th sec. at f4, tripod mounted.

If I had been further away from the subject (and in this case, I really wasn't very close to begin with... this isn't really a true macro shot), 1/45th would have been just fine to stop the motion, it just wouldn't have been a very interesting photo. In this case, of course, turning off the pumps wouldn't have made any difference since it was the subject that was moving.

As you can see, though, the crab's feeler/antennae on the photo-right shows quite a bit of motion blur at this shutter speed. Had I been really close (in the 1:4 - 1:1 range), it would have disappeared almost completely.

So, when you're considering which shutter speeds are appropriate, it's very important to consider how close you'll be to the subject and how large the movements of the subject are RELATIVE to their position within the frame.

Hope that helps to clarify things!

As Ever,
Matthew Gore

Light and Matter

ca2or · Jan 18, 2010

I know I am going to sound retarded here, but all of this sounds like a foreign language to me. I know my camera has all these settings but I dont know anything about photography..can anyone explain some of this to me in plain english? I do appreciate all the input thus far and hope to see more. Photography is becomming quite a hobby of mine and I am very interested in getting better. Seems like photography becomes every reef keepers second hobby.