I have a canon rebel digital SLR and I have taken lots of great pictures with it but I was wondering how you guys get good pictures of your fish against dark backgrounds. I've painted a lot of my fish tank background black but I still can't manage to get a good picture of my fish on a dark background. The only thing I can think to do is bring the light all the way to the front of the tank and kind of angle it outward a little bit. The only other thing I can think of would be to focus on the fish really good. Also.. Glass cleaning tips? I usually just use windex and am really careful not to spray it in my tanks. I know its harmful to my fish so what do you guys use? I'm not about to buy $6 aquarium safe glass cleaner when I can take my time and use $1 off brand windex.
How to take pics and get a dark background?
- Thread starter Camphilophus
- Start date
I use water... To clean face and panels of my tanks...
And LIGHTS!!
More lights equal better pics... Or a remote flash over the tank.. I have yet to get one... But have seen awesome pics from those that have them..
I use a flood light here and there... I aim it many ways to see which style I like best...
And LIGHTS!!
More lights equal better pics... Or a remote flash over the tank.. I have yet to get one... But have seen awesome pics from those that have them..I use a flood light here and there... I aim it many ways to see which style I like best...
top flash
this photo was taken in a black backed plexi tank with two small top flash units,,,,,, no photoshop
this photo was taken in a black backed plexi tank with two small top flash units,,,,,, no photoshop
Looks to me like a lot of the people getting nice shots have deep tanks (most of mine are 18" but I know theres a lot of 2'+ ones out there with better photos.) It also looks like either a.) the top flash thing, or b.) a overhead light like this one
johnptc;1713952; said:
That pleco has a serious fungus problem around it's mouth..... do you want me to take it off your hands 
johnptc;1713952; said:
That was shopped john, I can see the brush strokes LOL.
The way to get a black background is to find the fine line that will underexpose the background and properly expose the fish. If the light bounces off of the fish and gets back to the camera brighter/faster than the light from the background, it will make the background look black. The easiest way is to either have a remote flash or deep tank. The closer the fish is to the front of the tank the easier it is IMO.
rallysman;1714733; said:
thanks, thats kind of what I was assuming. I barely know how to use my girlfriends camera but I think I understand the basics.
i played around once with a small light on the front of my tank and the pictures looked cool i just need a better camera. Also all the lights were off around me.
