# Taking Fish Pictures



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

So, I'm trying out this picture taking of the fish. It's freakin tough! I don't know how to get a good angel, or even catch the fish sitting still lol. Some tips on how to take a good picture of fish would be nice. Here is some I have tried and none of them are even close to cool enough to win. Just from what i have seen in the past.


----------



## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

Nice collection


----------



## salvo85 (Jul 25, 2010)

very nice collection








congrats


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

What do you think of the pictures though, I need to get good at it so I can win a POTM one of these months lol


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

I took 118 pictures of my Gibbus and most of them were no good. here are some of the ones I liked more. Some have him an the pleco chillen together lol


----------



## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

You need a realy good camera and lens for quality pics, without that they turn out soso

DSLR I think is a good feature/camera


----------



## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

is pretty nice kid for a begginer yourdoing good. id submit the last pic of the gibbus


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

I have a Cannon SD750 ELPHI camera, Just got to learn how to take good pictures and get a good angel. I usually have to sit there with the camera next to the tank and wait for the fish to calm down an start swimming around the camera then try to catch those little F*ckers in action lol. It's tough though. I"ll submit the last Gibbus pic an see what happens.


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Here are some others I took.. I have taken so many bad ones just trying to find some decent photo's and maybe some good ones lol I applaud the guys who have won POTM an have very awesome shots, I don't know how to even catch the fish with a good angel lol


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

For starters, I'd turn the flash off -- it washes out the colors of the fish and creates distracting reflections. Other than that, they look pretty good to me.

A lot of times with the POTM contest, people care more about what's in the picture, so it doesn't necessarily need to look like something you'd see in a magazine. Great looking fish, big fish, and cool action shots are usually the big vote-getters.


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

OK, I'll keep that in mind then, Didn't know that aspect lol. I tried with an without flash, I noticed with it you see more of the fishes color, without it the tank and natural look shines through but my camera doesn't stabilize the picture with no flash for some weird reason. I have taken pictures so much today I ran both of my batteries down completely lol


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

To take pictures without flash, you'll want to have a good amount of light over the tank so that you can increase the shutter speed and avoid motion blur. If you have some lighting you could throw up there just when you're taking pictures, that will really help -- extra aquarium fixtures or even household lighting can work.


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Nice, I'll give that a try then. I think that's my problem is if I turn the flash off the picture come out too blurry. I'll try getting the light situation worked out and see what that does for my picture taking


----------



## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

also try to stay away from the tank a bit if you have limited light on the tank, this way it allows more light to enter the camera as compare to when you are really close the tank so you can use faster shutter speed.
use a tripod if you have it it helps to take more stable pictures at lower light. and turn all the room light off or take pictures at night if you have sunlight in the room.
other thing you can try is to target just one fish instead of multiple in a shoal and try to follow the fish's move while you taking pictures. by "panning" it you'll have a clear main subject and motion background, looks pretty neat sometimes, IMO


----------



## greenmonkey51 (Aug 16, 2004)

Take a lot of pictures and hope 2-3 come out. This is the best advice I can think of for aquarium pictures. Even in coral tanks with still subjects and intense lighting pictures can be tough.


----------



## enable1337 (Jun 2, 2011)

No acuarium corners, no cables, no reflections, no diagonal angle. The try to target one fish its also a good suggestion imo







use good tank lighting and be patient

for example this photo without reflections and cable would be fine...


----------



## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

Very nice pics!....







....thanks for sharing!...


----------



## serrasalmus_ve (Feb 12, 2008)

Nice tanks


----------



## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Listen to Joe and JP-they are going in the right direction...
you will need to increase the amount of light above your tanks....The more you can add the better(only for pics though-Take the extra lights off afterwards......

DLSR system with an external flash will yeild best results for taking pics in the home aquarium


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

NIce, I can't get mine to follow like that. When i tried following the fish around it didn't come out it was just blurry. How do you speed up shutter speed? Is that the ISO? Last night I tried something else. I had flash on but, I had all lights off and could see them sitting still so I used the flash and tried to catch them While they were not moving lol. Here I'll show ya what I got out of this. Still not half as good as the pictures you guys just took. I'll keep trying, like i said I usually take 100 pictures and get one or two decent ones lol


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Also I was wondering, Does POTM stand for picture of the month, or piranha of the month?

Here is the one's I was saying I took last night in the pitch black so the fish couldn't see me and catch them in good poses lol

The last 2 I took with my Iphone when I did a fresh water change, but it was just a different perspective. I like the suggestions you guys gave me, I'm going to see if i can speed up the shutter speed an I'll turn the flash off an see if I can catch some better pictures.


----------



## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

RedBelly11 said:


> NIce, I can't get mine to follow like that. When i tried following the fish around it didn't come out it was just blurry. How do you speed up shutter speed? Is that the ISO? Last night I tried something else. I had flash on but, I had all lights off and could see them sitting still so I used the flash and tried to catch them While they were not moving lol. Here I'll show ya what I got out of this. Still not half as good as the pictures you guys just took. I'll keep trying, like i said I usually take 100 pictures and get one or two decent ones lol


Focus on one area and let the fish come into it.Never follow the fish around.....little tricks like adding pellets to other side of where you want the fish to be is good ideas as well....

POTM=picture of the month/piranha pic of the month
NPOTM=non piranha pic of the month


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Your hints really helped me out. I adjusted the camera and listened to what everyone told me to do. Much better pictures in the end. I'll post them here real quick


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

So The Gibbus still isn't use to his tank, he has only been home for a week though so I shouldn't expect much from him. So his pic's look about the same. I got some much better of my shoal an pretty good ones of my
Sanchezi though. Your tips helped me big time. Now I'll just take about 1,000,000 pictures and hopefully I will get something good enough to enter lol. Thank you for your help though here is my latest


----------



## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

the new pics are looking much better than the previous ones, well done.
and by "panning" I didn't mean you physically stand in front of the tank and walk around following the fish while taking pictures, that will just freak out the fish.
click here


----------



## enable1337 (Jun 2, 2011)

Much better dude!! i like those fotos and your Ps


----------



## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Looks good. I have a crap camera so my method is pretty much take 100 pics and hope one is decent.

Your fish look good though for a good pic I think a more realistic setting would be nicer with some driftwood, live plants, rocks... so you can't really see any of the tanks seams like in jps pics. You can see the back of the tank but it is not clear that it is the back wall as it is just a black background and nothing that stands out as un natural. I would take some closer up pictures to show only a few fish max as with too many the picture loses focus. So for a good pic setup get a 1-3fish infront of some natural looking background without without showing the tanks corners or anything really to show it is an aquariums vs a picture of a wild piranha so try to eliminate any filter pipes, heaters... from the picture.

I agree with joe on turn the flash off as any flank shots will often have alot of light reflected off the piranhas scales in the picture which ruins it so get alot of light over the tank to light it like the flask would but avoiding the relection from the glass or the fish. Action shots of fish moving, eating or doing something cool are usually liked more then still fish and like jp or joe said expensive fish (large rhoms, geryi...) often get favoured in voting though caribe would be good subjects.


----------



## salvo85 (Jul 25, 2010)

very looking fish


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks Cluster. That's one problem my tank is not as cool as most you guys on here. It doesn't have the natural look which hurts me I'm sure. The only expensive fish i have is the 3 Cariba and the Gibbus right now. I mean 20 reds wasn't cheap but that is so average that it probably won't stand out enough lol. The Purple Sanchezi isn't much better. I can try to take some with no tank stuff in the back ground though an catch my two larger Cariba or Red. That would be my best chance since the Gibbus doesn't move around much yet an doesn't have much color. Thanks for your help. Maybe I'll enter one this month and just keep giving it a try as I am able to upgrade my tank.

Thanks to all you guys on complimenting my fish. I know they aren't anything special, but honestly a big rhom is not my cup of tea, I like these guys more. I have learned a lot on tank set up/care from this site that has helped a lot, and also changed my feeding of these guys which has brought a lot nicer color and size to these guys. They seem to be happy and are very active! Thanks again though


----------



## e46markus (Dec 9, 2010)

The pictures of your sanchezi came out really nice. Looks like your getting the hang of it!


----------



## lorteti hr (May 29, 2011)

wow...nice collection you have there man..







I want shoal of caribe to but I can t get them in my country,Im so mad







at my piranhas I notice some fin nipping and fighting over territory..


----------



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Hey man that;s normal with any shoal. It's jus part of the hobby. They will fight and nip each others fin's and you may have some get killed or eaten. It's just part of it buddy. Mine did it too and still sometimes I see they are doing it. You just have to roll with it, be willing to get rid of the overly aggressive or have some way to seperate him. At the younger stages through Juvy you will get a lot of appression and fin nipping. But the fins grow back as long as it's not taken all the way down to the meat. Keep your water clean, temp low and that's your best shot. Try not to get to upset with the fighting lol


----------



## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Turn everythign off-Bubblers,Filters,powerheads and let the water settle down...
Wash the glass(both inside and out)
Turn all other lights off in house except for tank to eliminate reflections best you can..


----------

