Lighting your fish for pictures

[ATribeCalledDoug]

How do you guys set your strobes up?

I feel like I'm over looking something dumb, but I'll set my flash up and just get bad glare and the realization that I need to clean my glass.

Any tips?

 

[rallysman]

are you using on-camera flash, or remote?

 

[ATribeCalledDoug]

Remote

 

[rallysman]

with a remote flash clean glass and clean water is a must. Thats the fist thing to achieve.

Once you have that taken care of you just have to choke the aperture down, keep the ISO low, and adjust the shutter accordingly. Each tank is different and it takes a lot of practice to get it just right.

 

[ATribeCalledDoug]

What kind of aperature? F9?

Also, what about glare and reflections off the glass?

 

[Peanut_Power]

This would be a good thread to subscribe to for future reference!! Great info Levi!!

Quick question: If you have a lot of driftwood and tannins in your water, and its difficult to get your water clear/clean...will the remote flash still do its duty?

 

[rallysman]

What kind of aperature? F9?

Also, what about glare and reflections off the glass?

I never get reflections when I'm using the remote flash overhead. Maybe I should have specified putting it overhead. As far as aperture it depends on the result that you want. If you want the fish to only be half in focus use a large aperture and a faster shutter. if you want the entire fish to be in focus, use a smaller (aperture f11 and up) for larger fish. When you want more depth of field, go with a smaller aperture. You can compensate for the reduced light by increasing shutter, flash intensity, or ISO. Adjust ISO last because higher numbers result in more noise.

This would be a good thread to subscribe to for future reference!! Great info Levi!!

Quick question: If you have a lot of driftwood and tannins in your water, and its difficult to get your water clear/clean...will the remote flash still do its duty?

As long as it's free of floating particles and air bubbles it'll work just fine. Most of the time a remote flash will make up for the loss of light due to tannins.

 

[Peanut_Power]

You still leave tank lights on too right? Sometimes its harder to focuz is there isn't enough light. I really need to get a DSLR...and a remote flash. Man that would be a blast.

What if there are hardwater deposits on the top of the tank, and you can't get them off...how much will it affect the flash?

 

[rallysman]

You still leave tank lights on too right? Sometimes its harder to focuz is there isn't enough light. I really need to get a DSLR...and a remote flash. Man that would be a blast.

What if there are hardwater deposits on the top of the tank, and you can't get them off...how much will it affect the flash?

if you're talking about the lids, then just open them the less obstruction of light the better. And yes, leave the tank lights on to aid in focus. Some remote flashes will aid in focusing though.

 

[bangerang103]

rally takes some good pics doug.