going to the aquarium--help!

amateur6 · 02-18-2008, 04:27 PM

Originally posted by atupdate

These were all taken with the DS & kit lens at ISO 1600 and 3200. I used the hood that came with the kit lens pressed against the glass to help shoot at slower speeds. I didn't have any noise reduction software when I processed these images. On our second visit to the aquarium, I took my monopod but the place was so busy that I didn't shoot much.

Tim, that first shot is fantastic! I love it. Grouper? Eel? Grouper eel?

Egordon, I love the last one of yours, too -- sea cucumber? Sea slug? The DoF is particularly effective.

Last edited by amateur6; 02-18-2008 at 04:29 PM. Reason: completeness.

jgredline · 02-18-2008, 07:38 PM

Your best friend will be glass cleaner, ISO 800-1600, NO flash, Rubber hood and in my case, I was using the kit lens...Good luck oh, and manual focus.....

Red · 02-18-2008, 08:15 PM

Originally posted by jgredline

Your best friend will be glass cleaner

x2

All "no flash" exhibits will have a small sign stating so, your 50mm will be your best bet on these as they are usually dimly lit. No sign, flash is OK. White balance is tough because of all the colored lights. I don't know if a CPL will help or not. I didn't bring mine.

I took a hundred or so, all K10D with my Da 40.

[

christinelandon · 02-19-2008, 02:11 AM

Originally posted by amateur6

Tim, that first shot is fantastic! I love it. Grouper? Eel? Grouper eel?

...snip.

Amateur6, that was a wolf eel, a common rocky bottom denizen up and down the North Pacific coast.

I'll second SaltWater's recommendation to put a rubber lens hood on a fast lens and press it up against the glass to kill reflections. Forget teles; I wouldn't go narrower than a 50mm and even wider (20-35mm is OK) would be better. Your kit lens might work, but is a bit slow if the tank is dimly lit. So long as flash is permitted, you can also use a camera- or remote-mounted flash through the glass without reflections when you press your lens up against the glass. George Lepp of Outdoor Photographer has published some nice work shot at the Monterey Bay Aquarium using this combination of techniques.

atupdate · 02-19-2008, 09:41 AM

Originally posted by amateur6

Tim, that first shot is fantastic! I love it. Grouper? Eel? Grouper eel?

.

Thanks. As Christine mentioned, it is a wolf eel. He was laying in the corner of the tank and I was looking for a good angle to shoot from when he lifted his head. It was shot # 16 from my new DS in July of 2005.

Tim

jgredline · 02-19-2008, 10:12 AM

Red
That alligator photo is quite the capture..It is extremely nice.

Red · 02-19-2008, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by jgredline

Red
That alligator photo is quite the capture..It is extremely nice.

Thanks, probably one of the easiest exhibits to shoot, well lit, the glass was unusually clear of scratches and smudges and he was a willing subject.

Although I don't think he liked my Steve Irwin impression.

amateur6 · 02-19-2008, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by Red

Although I don't think he liked my Steve Irwin impression.

...just don't try that on the stingrays.

(too soon?)

Jun Park · 02-19-2008, 04:36 PM

I love the aquarium and have taken quite a few pictures there. This is a link to my Georgia Aquarium photos:
Zenfolio | Jun Park | Georgia Aquarium

My recommendations for your trip are:
1) Shoot in RAW! There is a lot of mixed lighting and the lighting source WILL change with each exhibit. RAW will give you a lot more flexibility in correcting for differences in light sources.

2) When you're photographing the inside exhibits (especially Ocean Voyager & River Scout), be sure to use at least ISO 800 (and even higher) because the exhibits may look well lit to you but trust me, you'll be glad you used the higher ISOs.

3) If you have the time, take just one or two test shots to get the exposure and then switch to manual mode and lock in the exposure setting.

4) If you don't want to go through all of the work in suggestion 3, use evaluative meter and then dial in exposure compensation based on the following: A) if you see mostly direct light, use +1; B) if you see indirect light, use 0; C) if you see mostly shadows, use -1

But most of all, have fun at the Georgia Aquarium. I've had a season pass since it opened and I still find new things everytime I visit.

Jun Park
Zenfolio | Jun Park

Originally posted by momof4

We're going to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta really soon and, still being really new at this DLSR stuff, am curious what I should be doing with the camera taking photos of the sharks, whale sharks, etc. Flash is allowed in some areas and not in others. I won't have a lot of time to get the same shot over and over again until I get it right because, for one thing, fish move, and two, people around me will get annoyed that I am not moving on. I don't want the flash to reflect off the glass of the aquariums. I have a 70-300mm lens, a 50mm 1.4 lens and an 18-55mm lens (the kit lens) Any suggestions? Thanks!

Jun Park · 02-19-2008, 04:50 PM

I do have another piece of practical advice. Even though the Georgia Aquarium has been opened a couple of years, it is still a very busy place and it can be darn near impossible to get next to the glass, bring out glass wipes, clean the glass, etc., etc., so I don't recommend you worry with placing the lens directly on the glass. Just be ready to snap off a shot at any moment. BTW, placing the lens directly against the glass is a well-established technique that provides exceptional results; the only issue in this situation is that this can be difficult to do when you're competing with dozens of other photographers!

The Georgia Aquarium has been a very busy place every time I've been so I'd recommend you pack very light.

Jun Park
Zenfolio | Jun Park

Buddha Jones · 02-19-2008, 07:21 PM

GA Aquarium, now on my list of things to do this year.

jmbower · 02-29-2008, 12:21 PM

I took my k100d to an aquarium in Maui recently, and had decently good luck with both just the kit lens and an old 50mm manual 1.7. Tanks can be lighter than they look when th rest of the room is dark. The panningh technique can produce cool effects. See Velocifish below. Pumping up the ISO can help a bit

also, if you're shooting a big tank anytime after feeding, or even in general, be prepared for murkier water. There's a lot of organic material reflecting light in there. Fish...well..."function" in it.

jgredline · 02-29-2008, 12:37 PM

Red
I know I mentioned it once, but that alligator photo is really, ''really'' nice!!!

maxwell1295 · 03-01-2008, 08:21 AM

SHooting aquariums is probably the main reason I got back into SLR photography, after being away from it for some 20 years. I would think that shooting in a public aquarium is a lot different than shooting at home. Controlling the envirionment (camera and flash positioning, lighting, etc.) is very challenging in those situations. I've never done it, but I'm sure it'll happen at some point.

At home I use a shoe mounted flash with bounce and a $2 DIY foam diffuser. That combo pretty much eliminates any reflections from the glass. I haven't found the need to use a polarizer, but I may try it later on.

Here are a few recent pics from my Malawi Cichlid tanks:

jgredline · 03-01-2008, 08:38 AM

Max
Very nice indeed...I have a couple of tanks with Oscars in them..They do make for good practice but more they make great pets.

Anyway, I love the bokeh in your photos. What lens did you use?

02-19-2008, 04:50 PM	#25
Jun Park Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 182	I do have another piece of practical advice. Even though the Georgia Aquarium has been opened a couple of years, it is still a very busy place and it can be darn near impossible to get next to the glass, bring out glass wipes, clean the glass, etc., etc., so I don't recommend you worry with placing the lens directly on the glass. Just be ready to snap off a shot at any moment. BTW, placing the lens directly against the glass is a well-established technique that provides exceptional results; the only issue in this situation is that this can be difficult to do when you're competing with dozens of other photographers! The Georgia Aquarium has been a very busy place every time I've been so I'd recommend you pack very light. Jun Park Zenfolio \| Jun Park Last edited by Jun Park; 02-19-2008 at 08:30 PM.

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02-18-2008, 04:27 PM	#16
amateur6 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Gallery Posts: 177	Originally posted by atupdate These were all taken with the DS & kit lens at ISO 1600 and 3200. I used the hood that came with the kit lens pressed against the glass to help shoot at slower speeds. I didn't have any noise reduction software when I processed these images. On our second visit to the aquarium, I took my monopod but the place was so busy that I didn't shoot much. Tim, that first shot is fantastic! I love it. Grouper? Eel? Grouper eel? Egordon, I love the last one of yours, too -- sea cucumber? Sea slug? The DoF is particularly effective. Last edited by amateur6; 02-18-2008 at 04:29 PM. Reason: completeness.

02-18-2008, 07:38 PM	#17
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Your best friend will be glass cleaner, ISO 800-1600, NO flash, Rubber hood and in my case, I was using the kit lens...Good luck oh, and manual focus.....

02-18-2008, 08:15 PM	#18
Red Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Suwanee, GA USA Posts: 153	Originally posted by jgredline Your best friend will be glass cleaner x2 All "no flash" exhibits will have a small sign stating so, your 50mm will be your best bet on these as they are usually dimly lit. No sign, flash is OK. White balance is tough because of all the colored lights. I don't know if a CPL will help or not. I didn't bring mine. I took a hundred or so, all K10D with my Da 40. [

02-19-2008, 02:11 AM	#19
christinelandon Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 812	Originally posted by amateur6 Tim, that first shot is fantastic! I love it. Grouper? Eel? Grouper eel? ...snip. Amateur6, that was a wolf eel, a common rocky bottom denizen up and down the North Pacific coast. I'll second SaltWater's recommendation to put a rubber lens hood on a fast lens and press it up against the glass to kill reflections. Forget teles; I wouldn't go narrower than a 50mm and even wider (20-35mm is OK) would be better. Your kit lens might work, but is a bit slow if the tank is dimly lit. So long as flash is permitted, you can also use a camera- or remote-mounted flash through the glass without reflections when you press your lens up against the glass. George Lepp of Outdoor Photographer has published some nice work shot at the Monterey Bay Aquarium using this combination of techniques.

02-19-2008, 09:41 AM	#20
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	Originally posted by amateur6 Tim, that first shot is fantastic! I love it. Grouper? Eel? Grouper eel? . Thanks. As Christine mentioned, it is a wolf eel. He was laying in the corner of the tank and I was looking for a good angle to shoot from when he lifted his head. It was shot # 16 from my new DS in July of 2005. Tim

02-19-2008, 10:12 AM	#21
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Red That alligator photo is quite the capture..It is extremely nice.

02-19-2008, 12:16 PM	#22
Red Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Suwanee, GA USA Posts: 153	Originally posted by jgredline Red That alligator photo is quite the capture..It is extremely nice. Thanks, probably one of the easiest exhibits to shoot, well lit, the glass was unusually clear of scratches and smudges and he was a willing subject. Although I don't think he liked my Steve Irwin impression.

02-19-2008, 02:54 PM	#23
amateur6 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Gallery Posts: 177	Originally posted by Red Although I don't think he liked my Steve Irwin impression. ...just don't try that on the stingrays. (too soon?)

02-19-2008, 04:36 PM	#24
Jun Park Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 182	I love the aquarium and have taken quite a few pictures there. This is a link to my Georgia Aquarium photos: Zenfolio \| Jun Park \| Georgia Aquarium My recommendations for your trip are: 1) Shoot in RAW! There is a lot of mixed lighting and the lighting source WILL change with each exhibit. RAW will give you a lot more flexibility in correcting for differences in light sources. 2) When you're photographing the inside exhibits (especially Ocean Voyager & River Scout), be sure to use at least ISO 800 (and even higher) because the exhibits may look well lit to you but trust me, you'll be glad you used the higher ISOs. 3) If you have the time, take just one or two test shots to get the exposure and then switch to manual mode and lock in the exposure setting. 4) If you don't want to go through all of the work in suggestion 3, use evaluative meter and then dial in exposure compensation based on the following: A) if you see mostly direct light, use +1; B) if you see indirect light, use 0; C) if you see mostly shadows, use -1 But most of all, have fun at the Georgia Aquarium. I've had a season pass since it opened and I still find new things everytime I visit. Jun Park Zenfolio \| Jun Park Originally posted by momof4 We're going to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta really soon and, still being really new at this DLSR stuff, am curious what I should be doing with the camera taking photos of the sharks, whale sharks, etc. Flash is allowed in some areas and not in others. I won't have a lot of time to get the same shot over and over again until I get it right because, for one thing, fish move, and two, people around me will get annoyed that I am not moving on. I don't want the flash to reflect off the glass of the aquariums. I have a 70-300mm lens, a 50mm 1.4 lens and an 18-55mm lens (the kit lens) Any suggestions? Thanks!

02-19-2008, 07:21 PM	#26
Buddha Jones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,587	GA Aquarium, now on my list of things to do this year.

02-29-2008, 12:21 PM	#27
jmbower Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 159	I took my k100d to an aquarium in Maui recently, and had decently good luck with both just the kit lens and an old 50mm manual 1.7. Tanks can be lighter than they look when th rest of the room is dark. The panningh technique can produce cool effects. See Velocifish below. Pumping up the ISO can help a bit also, if you're shooting a big tank anytime after feeding, or even in general, be prepared for murkier water. There's a lot of organic material reflecting light in there. Fish...well..."function" in it.

02-29-2008, 12:37 PM	#28
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Red I know I mentioned it once, but that alligator photo is really, ''really'' nice!!!

03-01-2008, 08:21 AM	#29
maxwell1295 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,703	SHooting aquariums is probably the main reason I got back into SLR photography, after being away from it for some 20 years. I would think that shooting in a public aquarium is a lot different than shooting at home. Controlling the envirionment (camera and flash positioning, lighting, etc.) is very challenging in those situations. I've never done it, but I'm sure it'll happen at some point. At home I use a shoe mounted flash with bounce and a $2 DIY foam diffuser. That combo pretty much eliminates any reflections from the glass. I haven't found the need to use a polarizer, but I may try it later on. Here are a few recent pics from my Malawi Cichlid tanks:

03-01-2008, 08:38 AM	#30
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Max Very nice indeed...I have a couple of tanks with Oscars in them..They do make for good practice but more they make great pets. Anyway, I love the bokeh in your photos. What lens did you use?