Picture taking tips

[obring]

I could use some basics on picture taking. I am not a photo enthisiastic, but seeing all the wonderfull pictures everyone is posting is making me jealous. If anyone has any tips I will certainly appreciate it. After I figured what I have spent on my tank for the last ten months...trust me... there is not much left to go get an expensive camera. ;;
Today was the first time in a long time that I had time to browse through the boards, and I just really wanted to say that this board is terrific! Everyone is so helpful and considerate! I am really glad this IS my favorite board. Also...no one makes fun of spelling errors....
Anyway..i posted some pictures on my page. But they are horrible. Those are really about four months ago and the tank looks much better now. :

[Ltspd]

Try a tripod, that seems to help me take better tank shots. Of corse the quality of my shots cant get any worse, only better.

[eses]

I'd have to agree with the tripod. I actually use a stool to set my camera on, and I would say I easily get 100% better results when the camera is really sitting on something still rather than me holding the camera pretending I am.

I have also found not having any light on in the room, and not using the flash helps..but my girlfriend also has a pretty nice camera, which also helps greatly.

[scubadude]

Got mine for like 24 bux at Walmart. Naturally you want to clean the glass REAL good. sometimes you can turn off powerheads and pumps and it can make a better picture. Try different angles, my favorite angle is from above the tank ....but you need lighting too...and no glare...u can usually accomplish this through trying different angles. Above pics are very nice especially with clams and SPS.


The clam on the right is actually the exact same clam as the clam pic below....its just that the pic below was taken from in front of the tank and the pic above was taken from above.

[Barry N.]

I also use a tripod.

[Rick]

I use a Nikon coolpix 990 and tripod. Most of my shot are shot in macro. I don't use a flash. The tank lights work well for me.

[Reinhold]

Rick:

I have a CoolPix 990 also. I generally like it, but the shutter speeds tend to be so slow that blur is a common problem.

Do you know any tricks for this problem? I've tried the manual overrides, but i think the problem is the relatively high f rating of the lens. You'd think that a camera as pricey at this one would have a better lens.

[JerryReef]

Yes I would also recommend using a tripod and shooting at a slight angle, especially if it is through glass or any medium that can distort light diffraction. "Straight on" pointing through a glass medium can produce distortion. Using a shutter release remote cord can be most advantages.

You may have to increase the exposure speed accordingly when shooting moving objects, depending on your auto adjustment. Reproduction of zoom shots and wide angle (with macro or without the macro feature) will vary with the camera. The advantage with digital cameras is that you can adjust and find your particular sweet spot without developing time and cost as a factor.

Most digital cameras below $1000 tend to suffer from Chromatic Aberrations, better known as Purple Fringing, when shooting near to full wide shots. And usually, the aquarium lighting itself tends to emphasis on this distortion. Hopefully, the next generation would have this phenomenon resolved.

You will notice that in the clam shot.

The Single Reflex (SLR) cameras don't have this problem, however, it'll set you back at the least $2000 or more.

[obring]

Thanks everyone. As soon as I win the Lotto I will rush and get me a camera! LOL

In the meantime, another question that may be kinda moronic, although understand I know nothing of cameras... does a higher speed film/camera results in better pictures? or do I want slower speed?

[JerryReef]

Faster speed films are usually best for snapshots, low to average lighting and auto settings, but will tend to be grainy when the prints are enlarged; but ok for the regular postcard sized prints.

Usually a 100 ASA or 200 ASA film would be more the middle of the road for picture quality and for fully automatic cameras. But even with the 100 ASA you may be limited depending on the lighting conditions and moving speed of the subject.

Should you wish to have print enlargements of 8" x 10" and above, a 60 ASA is usually the preferred. But unless you're using a flash and or/sufficient lighting, it would usually require manual aperture and speed adjustment. Let's say you want to have a sharp print of a city skyline with natural sunset lighting, it can also be done with a 60 ASA film. But you would definitely require a tripod, with wide aperture (I usually like 5.6 sometimes a litter wider) and set the camera on bulb shutter speed; which gives you the option to control the film exposure time. But understand one thing, with extended exposure time the lights of moving objects will appear to be streaking across.

But with ample lighting auto settings can be used even with a 60 ASA film.

The Nikon Coolpix 995 is about $600 and a pretty decent digital camera.