# How to take good pics



## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

Thanks to winkyee for offering this to us

Here's a few tips I hope will help take better pictures. 
It's just what I've learned from trying to get good shots with 
a digital or other camera. 
There are a few things you can do to help , 
- Clean the aquarium ahead of time inside and out , water drops suck. 
- Minimize background light , from TV, blinds, lights from other rooms. 
- Take your time, it can take many shots to get one good one. 
- When doing a shot for identifying fish , it sometimes helps to use 
your net to guide the fish to the side of the aquarium. I bundle all the 
loose netting up around the handle of the net and tie it there with 
string or a small wire tie. This helps to guide the fish without the net 
getting in the way. 
- Getting measurement of your fish can be done as above with a close 
degree of accuracy by ; 
- holding a tape measure to the front of the tank or taping one there . 
- there are other very accurate methods of determining length without 
stressing your fish by taking him out for measuring . It's just not 
needed.

No matter what you are doing it 
can still take many shots to get a few good ones, just 
keep practicing.

Side view.










Top View


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

thanks for posting these tips, they should help out alot.


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## Guest (Sep 5, 2003)

thanks for the info man.
if i haven't read your reply under Xenon's posting for MOTM then I will nominate you, but not for now. maybe next time :laugh:


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## iLLwiLL (Jun 13, 2003)

POTM, here I come! thanks alot for those tips . . . i bet the quality of pics is gonna go through the roof in next months contest!

~Will.


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

Thanks Innes








I hope it helps in getting some good ID , sick fish and POTM pics
Pete


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## wrathofgeo (Aug 23, 2003)

thnx alot winkyee, as you can see in my post in species ident. your tips really improved my pics.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Great tips, Pete







Very useful!


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

snowcon4u said:



> thanks for the info man.
> if i haven't read your reply under Xenon's posting for MOTM then I will nominate you, but not for now. maybe next time :laugh:


 Well I already won the first MOTM so I cant be in it, but anyway I don't take the credit for this as it is all winkyee's work






































P.S. Look at my pics - I didn't use this method


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

> .S. Look at my pics - I didn't use this method










thats true your look a little blurry


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## NatenSarah (Sep 14, 2003)

Thankyou! Much needed tips!

-Sarah


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## JesseD (Mar 26, 2003)

nice tips and illustration!!!


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## stonecoldsteveostin (Nov 15, 2003)

this page helped...thanx


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## Scooby (Dec 25, 2003)

Wow that's a full fledge explanation... Props....


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

thats the simple stuff.. the most important aspects are your getting the white balance right, as well as being able to properly pick up the contrast in colors, shutter speed, exposure levels.

If you are trying to get a picture of your fish slowly pacing then a 200 ISO is sufficient, but you may have to go to 400 if the fish is very active. Lower shutter speeds result in better pictures, but most people dont have the hands to be able to take aquarium fish pictures without bluring. Develope a real steady hand.. or try to sit down with a bucket or something in your lap to use as a stand.


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

The easiest way to get clear pics is to put LOTS of light on the tank (I will gather all the strip lights from other tanks and put them on the tank I'm photographing) and then jack up the speed of the camera. Also, make sure all the lights in the room are off (I'll even go so far as to cover all the windows with dark blankets or wait for nightfall to take pics). I generally take my shots at about 1/30th of a second (for flash pics I'll use 1/500 to 1/1000). Also, aquarium lights tend to boost blue and red tones, so try to get familiar with your camera's white balance settings.


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

Great tips. Hopefully my pics won't suck so much ass now.


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## arowspace (Jul 16, 2003)

dracofish said:


> Also, aquarium lights tend to boost blue and red tones, so try to get familiar with your camera's white balance settings.


I'm glad to see that you understood my explanation for the above information per our discussion on Predatoryfish and that you are taking my advice to heart to improve the quality of your photos.


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## smtNL (Feb 12, 2004)

thx for the illustrated inf.


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## mattmatt123 (Nov 13, 2003)

great tips i will take them into acount.


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## grumble (Feb 4, 2004)




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## booger (Mar 8, 2004)

Thanks for the tips, good work!!


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## phil me in (Jun 6, 2004)

thanks for the tips u rock


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## NaTuReBoYz A_TROX (Jul 28, 2004)

excellent tips.... you rock


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

nice pics


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