# How do you take good pictures of your fish/aquariums?



## LisaLB24 (Oct 26, 2010)

I've tried everything to get good pics of my tanks and they are always horrible. With a flash they are always blasted and the fish have glowing eyes, without a flah it's way too dark and you can't see the colors! I know it depends on the camera (I've tried three different cameras including my husbands big fancy Nikon D70 something-something), but are there any general tips I can try? Thanks!


----------



## leogtr (Jan 19, 2011)

LisaLB24 said:


> I've tried everything to get good pics of my tanks and they are always horrible. With a flash they are always blasted and the fish have glowing eyes, without a flah it's way too dark and you can't see the colors! I know it depends on the camera (I've tried three different cameras including my husbands big fancy Nikon D70 something-something), but are there any general tips I can try? Thanks!


I figured out a way to take pictures of the tank inside the water! just get a clear glass(ALLclear) and put your camera in the glass, preferably a nice long glass not too long so that you cant reach your button to take the picture but long enough to submerge the glass in the water and take the picture. I did this with a clear jar in the beginning when the tank was new and I think its one of the best ways to capture the aquascape.

check it out. 

























this is a picture of it from the outside. I took these when I was cycling the tank so I didnt have any fish. I have danios so its almost impossible for me to get a good picture of one. Taking good pictures of the fish I hear you have to be very patient. they way I described above is just to get a good angle. I used a clamp on light thingy so thats why it looks bright. The jar was kind of big so I had to remove the hood and stuff.

good luck I hope you get good pictures!


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Lisa it is always a struggle for me to get decent pictures as well. What I have done so far is...

1.) If using a flash have the lens very very close to the glass and shoot at a slight angle. This prevents the big glass/flash flare










Unfortunately what seems to happen is the color will be off a little. This particular fish is a stunning blue and on here looks a dull Grey/blue. On here, she looks kind of dirty or something. Some fish are easier to photograph then others.









the snail was with a flash while I was in a dark room shooting into a well lit tank. Also, this is a slightly longer exposure as one can do with a slower moving snail vs. a fast fish.









Longer exposure, faster ISO No flash

2.) Change the ISO setting on your camera to 1600 so you don't need the flash. Also get close to the tank again. Shoot toward the lighter part of the tank. I do this in a dark room so you are shooting at the light source.



















I have seen professional pictures taken and they use a flash that is hooked up to the top of the tank and aimed down into the water. IT is synced with the camera so it flashes as the shutter opens. I think this is the best way but... who has the time or money to invest in that? Not me, sadly.


----------



## Blabomb (Jan 30, 2011)

I seem to have trouble taking good pics as well. I'll try a few tips from this thread and see if I can't improve


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

post some before and after pics. Maybe you will learn something new to share with the rest of us.


----------



## LisaLB24 (Oct 26, 2010)

Oooo. Great pics and great tips everyone. I can't wait to try these out at home! For now, I'll post some of my attempts and tomorrow I'll post all my glorious and gorgeous new pics!:-D

This red betta has these bright bluish lines and scales that are just gorgeuos but here he just looks like a dull red blob...










I think this one is my best and favorite pic. I love these little guys 










I love how bright he is in this one but the glowing eyes really bug me.











This is the same fish as above but he looks almost black here. I love the "Gimme a kiss" face though










Another bright blue (which I like) but you can see the flash and again the eyes are shining.










I like this one, and as some of you mentioned, it was taken at an angle down the glass.










Here you can see some of the blue scales I mentioned before, but the flash is in the corner. It seems like if I want to get the color, I have to deal with the flash and the bright eyes, if I want a clean picture, it's going to be dark and dull... humph.


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

One more tip that I thought of. If your camera allow it. Use the manuel focus. You can go as far as to foucs on an area that is light enough and wait for the fish to move there. Taking good pictures of fish is a lesson in patience for sure. I still have not captured a really nice one of my Blue Gourami or my rainbow shark. Practice makes perfect, as they say.  

I LOVE your Blue Betta. Wow! Love the coloring.


----------



## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

I would not recommend the glass method at all. That is a very good way to risk losing a camera. If you are willing to take the risk go for it then, I know a few of us have cameras that are not easy to replace. 

Here are my tips:

1. Room MUST be dark, you need to minimize non-fish tank light sources as best as you can. Otherwise you will have reflections on the glass. Reflection + auto focus = no good. 

2. Stay still. Don't chase the fish. #1 reason fish come out blurry is because they are moving too fast. Track them with the camera steadily and take a pic the second the fish slows down. 

3. I don't suggest flash, it distorts colors anyway. But if you need to use flash I honestly suggest the opposite of what was suggested before. If you use flash stand way back from your tank and zoom in. If your camera doesn't have zoom then your on your own with flash. 

4. Fish tanks are poorly lit which makes photography hard. Especially since fish are uncooperative fast moving targets. Best I can say here is try to use the "action" or "macro" setting. For those that are familiar with manual controls, use a low ISO and a shutter speed of 1/20sec. or faster if you can. Inga I'm confuse why you suggest high ISO... sure gives you lower light abilities, but it shows a lot in pictures =/. I almost always shoot with ISO at 100, Aperture wide open, and then slow down the shutter as much as I can before things go underexposed. If I still need it faster then I will let off the ISO tiny bit...

5. If there is some way to increase the overhead lighting on the tank with a desk lamp or something temporarily this should help a lot. 

6. IMO use auto or manual focus, what ever one works best for you. Some cameras have very bad auto focus and work best manually focused. I barely know how to use manual focus on my camera. The auto focus works of me or I can easily trick it. 

In the end though, the camera and user can make all the difference. It does take awhile to learn the basics of photography, and I don't even think I have mastered them yet. Anyone can do it though and once you know what you are doing quite a few cheap point and shoots can be pushed to their limit;-).


----------



## LisaLB24 (Oct 26, 2010)

I'm not even going to post my attempts from last night. I was just using my camera phone because my husband has his camera with him. I tried the macro setting and that helped a lot with the clarity but I still can't get the colors! Especially of my red betta. I need some sort of extra lighting source inside the aquarium. I'm thinking about just pulling him out next time I change water and trying to get oics of him in a smaller cup...


----------



## underh2o (Nov 8, 2010)

*An inexpensive tripod will definitely help steady your photos!*


----------



## tanker (Mar 13, 2010)

My camera doesn't have adjustable aperture or shutter speed. I've got a choice of various options and that's pretty much it. 

I was googling how to take fish pictures and I'm considering upgrading my camera. One thing I read was to use the flash, but turn the tank lighting off. It said that the fish would slow down their swimming in a dark tank. I haven't tried it yet.


----------



## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

Don't expect much with a phone camera, most are complete crap IMO. Only a few out there qualify as decent... That Nikon D70 though is a DSLR and has the capability to take great pics. Its above my camera for sure lol. 

I am not sure how shooting a dark tank will help at all. Flash will overpower tank lighting anyway. If the tank is dark then the room needs to be lit for you to see the tank, this then throws a ton of reflections you have to over come. While dark tank might make fish slow down, generally once lights are out for a while a lot of fish show color loss. Along with the chance that the sudden flash when they are just calming down may shock certain fish. Specific species are more prone to this, small tetras being a big one. I've seen rummys go into shock over much less.


----------



## tanker (Mar 13, 2010)

Well, I wouldn't want to scare my fish, so I won't do that.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

*Aperture, Shutter Speed, Flash*

Theres a few things to take into account when taking pictures of fish. Let me say first though that SLR cameras are probably the best in that you can set the aperture and shutter speed while adding flash. The trick here is taking MANY pictures at different angles to get what you want. You may be taking pictures for a while and after say 100 exposures you might get around 5-10 great pictures to use. So keep shooting that camera.

I personally like to leave the light on and use no flash. I have a Nikon d3100 which is a newer model dSLR. The lens is key here as it has an f-stop of f/1.8 which is a very wide aperture lens. This also gives you a shallow depth of field that blurs out what isn't in focus. Shallow depth of field allows the exposure to set the subject apart of the background and prevent the background from being a distraction but also add interest. In a Nikon SLR you can set your camera to "A" mode (Aperture Priority) and use the dial to set your Aperture to the lowest number possible. The lower the F-Stop the wider the aperture. The wider the aperture the more light that enters the lens onto the sensor. Remember though that the wider the aperture the shallower the depth of field becomes causing the background to blur more. If you want everything in focus then you'll either need to step back physically from your tank and take the picture and crop it later to show only what you want OR you'll need to set a smaller aperture (higher F-Stop number).

Shutter Priority or "S" mode on the Nikon dial allows you to set the Shutter speed while the camera figures out the rest (aperture, exposure, ISO, etc.) You can keep the shutter open longer but then you risk movement blur which I am sure you don't want at all. A faster shutter speed is best for stopping movement blur. 

Flash can sometimes not work in your favor unless you are using something called fill flash where the flash is filling in the dark areas of your subject as a secondary light source. In fill flash mode you are allowing the natural light to be primary and your flash to be a secondary light source to fill in the shadows for more detail. I personally like the natural shadows the tank provides so I most of the time stay away from using a flash. If you decide to use one though, don't take the picture head on like most people here are already suggesting. Take the picture at an angle or right up against the glass. Be careful not to damage your lens though while the lens is focusing when up against the glass. 

Last thing I can think of is post-processing. I have a mac so I use a program called Aperture or iPhoto should work as well. Photoshop will work too. I almost always crop my photos to capture what it is exactly that I want the viewer to see. For this reason I take an exposure that has more of the aquarium in it allowing me a wider margin for error and then crop the picture later. In post processing, you can color correct the exposure to brighten the shadows lower the highlights, etc. If you have aperture, I can give you specific tips on what to do to optimize your photo. Let me know what program you decide to use and maybe I can help. 

Most of the tricks up there might be accomplished on a regular point and shoot camera so read that manual and see what things you can do. I always tell people when they get a new camera to be sure to keep the manual handy. You don't need to know everything right away but being able to reference your manual to achieve what you want to accomplish is important to knowing what you're doing. 

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I am always more than happy to help.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Some more photos. The angelfish in my opinion looks little over exposed and I even lowered the flash exposure level on this one to reduce the brightness of the flash. The Tiger Barb uses no flash and came out pretty nice with the ambient lighting. You be the judge. I will keep taking pictures though until I find something I like. Let me know what you think.


----------



## tah1795 (Jan 30, 2011)

I have a nikon coolpix p100
I have adjusted the ISO and shutter but it isnt any better.

I can not find any Aperature options or F-stop?


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

tah1795 said:


> I have a nikon coolpix p100
> I have adjusted the ISO and shutter but it isnt any better.
> 
> I can not find any Aperature options or F-stop?


1. Rotate the mode dial to "A"
2. Rotate the command dial to choose the aperture value (f/-number). Choose Lowest number to widest aperture.
Note: When the camera is zoomed all the way out, aperture can be set to values between f/2.8 and f/8.0; at maximum zoom, aperture can be set to values between f/5.0 and f/ 8.0.
3. Point and shoot. Play around with different exposures.

This is on page 70 of your manual by the way.


----------



## tanker (Mar 13, 2010)

I have a Nikon Coolpix L20 and it does things automatically. Would I be better off with a camera that let me make adjustments manually and is there any budget upgrade worth considering? The dSLRs cost a fortune and I don't take many photos so there's no way I could justify upgrading to one, but if there's a better low-end camera, I'd consider upgrading. Thanks.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

tanker said:


> I have a Nikon Coolpix L20 and it does things automatically. Would I be better off with a camera that let me make adjustments manually and is there any budget upgrade worth considering? The dSLRs cost a fortune and I don't take many photos so there's no way I could justify upgrading to one, but if there's a better low-end camera, I'd consider upgrading. Thanks.


If you're only looking to take pictures of your fish then i wouldn't suggest upgrading. With the coolpix l20, i would just follow the basic guideline of taking pics at an angle and prevent glare from other light sources. If you decide to get serious about photography later then I would suggest a dSLR.


----------



## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

A friend of mine suggested useing the setting my camera has for fireworks do you think that would help? I bought my camera used and do not have the manual it is a Kodak Easy Share Z712 IS.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Calmwaters said:


> A friend of mine suggested useing the setting my camera has for fireworks do you think that would help? I bought my camera used and do not have the manual it is a Kodak Easy Share Z712 IS.


Your manual can be had on the brand names website. In this case on the kodak site. Firework setting usually uses longer shutter time. This will cause blur. But you should try it and see how the results come out. Take a picture at each of the different settings and see what you come up with.


----------



## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

I tried the firework one it was awful. LOL My back is killing me tonight : ( I will play around with it more tomorrow if its feeling better. I herniated a disk at work last year and am still not better.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Calmwaters said:


> I tried the firework one it was awful. LOL My back is killing me tonight : ( I will play around with it more tomorrow if its feeling better. I herniated a disk at work last year and am still not better.


No rush. I looked into your camera and you also have the aperture priority mode. Try playing with that tomorrow. Wide aperture = smaller f-stop number. You could of course go full manual in M mode and set aperture as wide as possible and shutter speed fast. Like 1/160 of a second or equivalent fast shutter speed. It's gonna take some playing around but do it at your leisure.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

Ok I am tring to set it maually like you said to 1/160 but can't seem to figure out how to change it but will keep tring. LOL


----------



## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

Got it to change thanks for your help. I will try it tomorrow and see how it goes. I will also look up the manual to see if I get other ideas it just never occured to me to try to look up the manual on the internet before.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Calmwaters said:


> Got it to change thanks for your help. I will try it tomorrow and see how it goes. I will also look up the manual to see if I get other ideas it just never occured to me to try to look up the manual on the internet before.


Glad you could figure it out. If that shutter speed doesn't work out for you. Try a little slower until you get the right exposure. Good luck. Post some pics when you get a chance.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

phluid13 said:


> No rush. I looked into your camera and you also have the aperture priority mode. Try playing with that tomorrow. Wide aperture = smaller f-stop number. You could of course go full manual in M mode and set aperture as wide as possible and shutter speed fast. Like 1/160 of a second or equivalent fast shutter speed. It's gonna take some playing around but do it at your leisure.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


You would need the flash though for that fast of a shutter speed... 

There are some great more advanced point and shoot cameras that don't cost an arm and a leg, IF you actually use a camera on a regular basis. I certainly don't use a DSLR (even though they are awesome), but that certainly hasn't stopped me. Even after a few years, my Panny can still amaze me sometimes. I intend to get a nice DSLR when I am out of college and have the cash, but even then I don't think I could live without a decent point and shoot. Tanker what would you consider spending on a camera? I might be able to suggest something. 

I will use my camera in full auto to full manual and anything inbetween. I have gotten good fish pics under many different settings. I started buying used filters for my camera so will have some new stuff to play with outside this summer, I'm super excited =D

Don't agree much with shooting at an angel to the glass, but whatever works I guess. I would like to photo edit, but I am much too lazy for that. How it comes off the camera is how I live with it.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> You would need the flash though for that fast of a shutter speed...
> 
> There are some great more advanced point and shoot cameras that don't cost an arm and a leg, IF you actually use a camera on a regular basis. I certainly don't use a DSLR (even though they are awesome), but that certainly hasn't stopped me. Even after a few years, my Panny can still amaze me sometimes. I intend to get a nice DSLR when I am out of college and have the cash, but even then I don't think I could live without a decent point and shoot. Tanker what would you consider spending on a camera? I might be able to suggest something.
> 
> ...


If you're using flash, you'll need to shoot at an angle. All different angles is best actually. You're bound to find one that looks good.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

I almost never use flash since a camera mounted one distorts a lot with the aquarium IMO. But I almost always shoot straight on or at the slightest of angles. If flash is necessary what I do is shoot very close or shoot from around 2 feet back from the glass and zoom way in. Never had a problem, getting a clear pic. Getting a natural looking picture with camera mounted flash is very difficult. Light doesn't naturally strike the fish from the sides. I believe most of my best results are with shutter speeds between 1/15-1/60, wide aperture, 400-800 ISO, and of course no flash. Though a lot comes down to how well the tank is lit and what kinda fish you are taking pics of....


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> I almost never use flash since a camera mounted one distorts a lot with the aquarium IMO. But I almost always shoot straight on or at the slightest of angles. If flash is necessary what I do is shoot very close or shoot from around 2 feet back from the glass and zoom way in. Never had a problem, getting a clear pic. Getting a natural looking picture with camera mounted flash is very difficult. Light doesn't naturally strike the fish from the sides. I believe most of my best results are with shutter speeds between 1/15-1/60, wide aperture, 400-800 ISO, and of course no flash. Though a lot comes down to how well the tank is lit and what kinda fish you are taking pics of....


I agree. I just re-read my earlier post and I meant to say 1/60 of a second as well. I also don't care for a flash pic unless absolutely needed. Youdo have to be careful when focusing up against the glass if you have an external focusing system on the lens as you don't want to damage the motors. So be careful of that to the other people reading this. The best advice I can give is to try many different things. Different settings, angles, exposure levels, flash compensation levels, etc. The more you play, the more you learn what your camera can do. Post process can also be a benefit in adjusting contrast and exposure levels. The final outcome is mainly your preference. So keep shooting those pics.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Mettalikatt (Jul 26, 2010)

I honestly can't produce a worthwhile picture without flash in my situation, a 45 angle seems to help and a whole lot of luck. Most of the pictures I have that turn out well are a 200/400 ISO.


----------



## phluid13 (Feb 27, 2011)

Mettalikatt said:


> I honestly can't produce a worthwhile picture without flash in my situation, a 45 angle seems to help and a whole lot of luck. Most of the pictures I have that turn out well are a 200/400 ISO.


Ambient light plays a big role in whether you use flash or not. More aquarium lighting would help this. Otherwise you're stuck with flash. That pic isn't bad at all. Some post process vibrancy increase on the fish alone might help with the colors.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Mettalikatt (Jul 26, 2010)

I've got the original 18" flourescent and 4x 13w CFL's on the tank when this picture is taken, dark otherwise in the surrounding rooms. it is a deep tank however, I just need another spotlight lol


----------



## Plumkin (Jan 24, 2011)

mine turn out extreamly good! I just figured it out mine are only 6.0 megapixles but one of my canons has a aquarium setting and my other I use Digital MACRO macro is your best friend for close up clear pics try it out!!


----------



## tanker (Mar 13, 2010)

phluid13 said:


> If you're only looking to take pictures of your fish then i wouldn't suggest upgrading.


Ok, thanks.


Mikaila31 said:


> Tanker what would you consider spending on a camera? I might be able to suggest something.


I'm in Australia so the prices are probably different. I'm not prepared to spend much, a couple of hundred maybe. I don't take many photos. If there was an advantage and I knew what to look for, I could keep an eye out for something on sale or secondhand (people are always buying cameras and then getting newer ones).


----------



## yodapoolman (Mar 29, 2011)

I was starting to take more pics of my tank and came across this post (I realize it's fairly old). One tip I have is to use a continuous shooting on some of the settings described above. It fills the memory card quicker, but with faster fish, like my tetras, I'm getting some decent pics that aren't blurry.


----------



## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

when taking close up pictures using a macro lens or macro setting ( usually the flower on most point and shoot cameras ) helps get a clearer close up. 

place something white into your tank, like a decent size piece of PVC pipe, use this as your "control" to set your white balance on your camera. this will allow you to take pictures under your tank lights ( since thats what the white balance is set for ) with true to life colors. 

play around with your camera. take multiple photos. digital cameras are capable of deleting unwanted shots which allows you to practice constantly.


----------

