Photography Tips?

[davidjp1982]

I wondered if any of the talented photographers on this forum could share any tips and guidelines for photographing fish? I always struggle with clarity and reflections on the aquarium glass. This is the camera I have: http://www.trustedreviews.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX110-IS_Digital-Camera_review

Any help would be appreciated thanks

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, I'm not a "talented photographer", but I can make some suggestions. First the aquarium glass needs to be spotless - and algae, no scratches. Next the water should be spotless, too. Any particles in the water will show up in the flash. It's helpful to have a lens that can focus close to the subject like a macro lens, but not absolutely necessary. Try to photograph at an angle to the glass to avoid reflection (angle of incidence = angle of reflection). A flash works better if it is set off-axis from the lens. In other words, place the flash away from and at an angle to the camera lens. This means a separate flash is better than the one built into the camera. Flashes from above and upper sides tend to give better color and 'modeling' than flash from the front. You'll also find that it is easier to photograph with a camera with an optical viewfinder like a single lens reflex camera. Point & shoot cameras, like yours, require a delay between pushing the shutter and the actual taking of the photo. This is because they use a 'live view/phase detect' focusing system that takes time for the camera to properly focus before tripping the shutter. Unless the fish is really slow, you'll miss most of the photos you see on the back screen. After saying all this, I don't want you to think it's impossible to use your camera for fish photography. It's possible and many excellent photos have been taken with similar cameras. I think the most important thing you need to do is practice, practice, practice.

 

[Neptune's Neighborhood]

Something to add to above, sometimes I find it easier to place the camera on a tripod (or similar structure) and wait for the fish to come into view instead of chasing it around the tank. One other thing to note is that a lot of people move the camera when pressing the capture button, this must be avoided or it will always be distorted.

 

[davidjp1982]

Great thanks for the advice - will take it on board. First barrier - no batteries...