need photography advice

M

MarineMike

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 31, 2014
243
1
0
Southern California
Looking for any advice to help get better pictures of my fish. Nikon D3200 with kit 28-55mm lens with macro kit and UV, polarized, and florescent filters.

I'm still learning how to use the camera. I've tried taking pics with the flash turned off, but even with the room lights off and all the tank lights on the pictures are to dark. Looking at some of the pics in the photo lounge and comparing to the ones I've taken I might as well be using a camera phone. How do I get the colors to pop? For example some of the pics of people's umbee the blue is almost glowing, yet on my pics it hardly shows. Is the secret in the editing after the pic is taken?
 
duanes

duanes

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Jun 7, 2007
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Isla Taboga Panama via Milwaukee
Unless your overhead lights are the right color spectrum, and very bright, you will probably need to use the flash.
Here's a pic without flash, but using a high watt halogen work light.
I had to edit down the "glaring yellow of the halogen bulb", because the fish was not what my eyes see, and still the color of the fish is wrong.

Here's the same fish using the stock flash on the camera, fish looks normal.

Here is another shot with only overhead halogen

and one using the flash

with the on camera flash, its all about the angle you hold the camera, if held straight on, or even pointed a slight tilt up, the flash will dominate the pic, or at best, half the frame will be filled with flash splash glare.
If the camera is held pointed slightly downward pics work much better.
When I take pics, I usually snap about 100 at a time, and delete 90 or 95 or the first look, and even after editing if I keep 2 of the shots, I feel that's a good day of shooting.
 
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