More On Aquarium Photography.

People from time to time ask why I use flash rather than just run the ISO up.

There are several reasons for this:

1. Grain increases as ISO increases. I normally flash at 640 ISO. This is a happy balance of grain and ambient light. Without flash I have to run the ISO to 2000 or higher.

2. Flash freezes motion. Even the fastest school fish can be captured with great clarity.

3. Without flash you are stuck with the light at hand. With flash you have a lot of control. With a twin head on 21" flex arms you have complete control if you photograph when there is no light pollution from the sun etc.

These shots were taken during the morning so you will see my reflection.

1. High ISO no flash. Uneven exposure. Burn out in the back, under exposure in the front.



2. 640 ISO twin flash.



3. But when photographing highly reflective fish you need to get the angle just right or you will suffer from hot spots as in this photo.

 

Your pictures are always stunning, I’m sure any tips you tips you give will be very helpful to others

 

Your pictures are always stunning, I’m sure any tips you tips you give will be very helpful to others

Thank you Coradee

 

That's wonderful but...

My flash reflects off the glass! How do you get photos with flash?

 

That's wonderful but...

My flash reflects off the glass! How do you get photos with flash?

Remote mount the flash in a bracket. I mention this in point #3.

This thread shows the various types I use.
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/on-aquarium-fish-photography.279711/

In post #8 I go into reflect glare from a flash.

 

Flash doesn't bother the fish? I assumed it was really bad for fish

 

Flash doesn't bother the fish? I assumed it was really bad for fish

Not at all, it is like lightning in the wild.

I acclimate new fish by popping the flash from across the room and then feeding. Over the next couple of days I get progressively closer. In a few days the fish associates the camera with food and swims with the others to the glass.

 

Not at all, it is like lightning in the wild.

I acclimate new fish by popping the flash from across the room and then feeding. Over the next couple of days I get progressively closer. In a few days the fish associates the camera with food and swims with the others to the glass.

Haha that's awesome! I saw that once at a show, diver was in the aquarium with all these fish, he had a triangle (the instrument) and he clanged it a whole bunch and all the fish just swarmed him for food!

 

Photographing my fish comes down to luck for me, it seems, but I know there's many factors I usually ignore or struggle with. The lighting in my room is awful (just one ceiling light), and I get a lot of reflection. Flash is really useful, but in certain conditions, and on certain tanks, I get glass reflection. I have a flash attachment that I've never used, but maybe I should try it out. It came in the camera kit, so I don't think it's going to be all that great. I usually get the best photos at night.
I've yet to get a good photo showing my Black Orchid male betta since he's turned nearly all black. I've gotten close, but still haven't captured him in all his glory. I get the worst reflections off his tank.

 

Photographing my fish comes down to luck for me, it seems, but I know there's many factors I usually ignore or struggle with. The lighting in my room is awful (just one ceiling light), and I get a lot of reflection. Flash is really useful, but in certain conditions, and on certain tanks, I get glass reflection. I have a flash attachment that I've never used, but maybe I should try it out. It came in the camera kit, so I don't think it's going to be all that great. I usually get the best photos at night.
I've yet to get a good photo showing my Black Orchid male betta since he's turned nearly all black. I've gotten close, but still haven't captured him in all his glory. I get the worst reflections off his tank.

What camera are you using?

Most limitations can be gotten around or their impact lessened.

 

What camera are you using?

Most limitations can be gotten around or their impact lessened.

Canon EOS Rebel T6. I have a lens that says "Macro" in big letters and then in small letters, "XIT Pro Series 0.43x High Definition AF Wide Angle Lens 56MM." It attaches to the main lens.
The flash attachment that I've never even taken out of the box is "Polaroid Studio Series Pro Slave Flash," PLASF18. I personally prefer outdoor photography and natural lighting and never did much indoor photography until I started photographing my fish this year...I had to do some studio-type photography with setting up lighting and whatnot in my high school photography classes (I went to an arts school), and found that I didn't care for that sort of work