Few Pics of new DSLR!
- Thread starter jc-reef
- Start date
GvineReefer
New member
What'd ya get? I just got my first DSLR as well, a Canon T1i. I'm still figuring out, but enjoying a new hobby...
Brian Chong
New member
very nice! what type of lens are you using?
Brian Chong
New member
getting the right field of depth is important and it takes practice
Reef Bass
colors and textures
The exif info shows a Nikon D3100 with 105mm lens.
You're off to a good start. A few suggestions:
- turn off pumps before shooting. It cuts down on flying debris and encourages polyp extension.
- remove the flying debris streaks during post. Really improves the feel of the pic.
- use a tripod if you're not already. With stationary coral polyps and a tripod, you can use much longer shutterspeeds and thus either greater depth of field or lower ISO.
- use either a self timer or remote shutter release to avoid image blur due to minor camera movement while pressing the shutter release on longer exposures.
- try some shots with higher f numbers / lower lens aperature. More of the subject will be in focus.
- try shooting in RAW mode and adjusting the white balance during post processing.
You're off to a good start. A few suggestions:
- turn off pumps before shooting. It cuts down on flying debris and encourages polyp extension.
- remove the flying debris streaks during post. Really improves the feel of the pic.
- use a tripod if you're not already. With stationary coral polyps and a tripod, you can use much longer shutterspeeds and thus either greater depth of field or lower ISO.
- use either a self timer or remote shutter release to avoid image blur due to minor camera movement while pressing the shutter release on longer exposures.
- try some shots with higher f numbers / lower lens aperature. More of the subject will be in focus.
- try shooting in RAW mode and adjusting the white balance during post processing.
reefyourself
New member
What is that third coral called?
Brian Chong
New member
I stand corrected. depth of field 
the third one looks like a red planet
the third one looks like a red planet
jc-reef
New member
Thanks...still lots to learn! It's Nikon D3100 with 105mm Micro (Macro) lens
I think you mean Depth Of Field?...and yes...LOTS of practice...lol
DOF....yes...lol. See above.
Nice shots
Thanks!!..I am excited to see how well I can shoot...say 6 mo from now.
I stand corrected. depth of field
the third one looks like a red planet
Not sure actually...but i can tell you that is is NOT a red planet. I believe I had to use the flash on this one which kind of washed out some colors. It is some kind of acro (I think) that has purple/redish/yellowish skin with deep purple polyps with a thin neon green ring that circles the tip of each growth point...very cool looking!! Once I get the hang of this camera, I will reshoot and try to replicate the colors as seen in person. I got it from a local frag swap and it came from a reefer that was selling stuff from his private tank (non-vendor).
Thanks to all for comments!
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Brian Chong
New member
Jc-reef, check out this website.
http://kenbullimaging.com/default.aspx
Hope you dont mind Reef Bass. Your pictures are so nice
http://kenbullimaging.com/default.aspx
Hope you dont mind Reef Bass. Your pictures are so nice
Fibinotchi
Upstanding Citizen
Wow, that is just the kind of gold I have been looking for. Sorry if this is hijacking, but I would love to know what inexpensive macro you would recommend for a Canon T1i.
Nice job with first pictures OP.
jc-reef
New member
WOW...those are some really stellar Macro photos!!! Thanks for the link BC and thanks for sharing and giving some good tips on macro photography Reef Bass. Much appreciated!!
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Reef Bass
colors and textures
jc-reef, you're welcome.
Fibinotchi, I use the Canon 100mm macro lens, the non L version. The L version wasn't availalble when I got mine. I must say the non L does pretty well. Unfortunately, I am not aware of an inexpensive official macro lens solution. You can try playing with extension tubes. Anybody else have any ideas?
Fibinotchi, I use the Canon 100mm macro lens, the non L version. The L version wasn't availalble when I got mine. I must say the non L does pretty well. Unfortunately, I am not aware of an inexpensive official macro lens solution. You can try playing with extension tubes. Anybody else have any ideas?
Brian Chong
New member
Fibinotchi- They sell the canon 100mm L series macro the cheapest on amazon. you will be put on a waiting list but it will probably be no more than a week.
Brian Chong
New member
Hello Reef Bass. Your tips has helped a lot. I am no longer embarrassed to look at my photos anymore. LOL. How do I capture the baby blue tip on this tort? Is there a way without altering the photo?
Jc-reef, hope you dont mind me posting this. I thought this might be helpful to you as well.
Jc-reef, hope you dont mind me posting this. I thought this might be helpful to you as well.
Brian Chong
New member
I tried an acitnc shot and also messed around with the f stop but i couldnt get the baby blue
Reef Bass
colors and textures
Nice. Look at you go! I'd probably have set the focal plane a little more foreground but it's your call.
I'm starting to see some noise in the pic, especially in the darker and less focused areas. This is often due to a higher ISO setting. Myself I try to shoot at the lowest ISO possible, preferrably 100. And I'll go with a shutterspeed of a couple seconds if I need to (assuming the subject is stationary and not waving in the current, etc.).
Regarding your question about the blue tip. There are two things working against you. First, the tips are usually much brighter and if one exposes the shot to see the body of the coral, the tip often gets blown out. Conversely, if one exposes for the bright tip, the rest of the shot looks dark. So detail in the tip can be tough to get straight up. One can also dodge the tip during post to reduce exposure there.
The other thing working against you is the auto white balance on your camera. Reef tank photography is a specialty in the photography arena because of the very high color temperature lighting, and camera manufacturers are not building cameras to suit the needs of reefers. By shooting in RAW mode, one is saving the data from the image sensor before the camera applies white balancing and jpeg conversion. During post processing, this raw data is loaded and white balancing is done by the user / photographer. Colors are set to be what one sees when looking at the tank and they come out very accurate compared to the "way too blue" shots one normally sees from people relying on their camera's auto white balancing.
I'm starting to see some noise in the pic, especially in the darker and less focused areas. This is often due to a higher ISO setting. Myself I try to shoot at the lowest ISO possible, preferrably 100. And I'll go with a shutterspeed of a couple seconds if I need to (assuming the subject is stationary and not waving in the current, etc.).
Regarding your question about the blue tip. There are two things working against you. First, the tips are usually much brighter and if one exposes the shot to see the body of the coral, the tip often gets blown out. Conversely, if one exposes for the bright tip, the rest of the shot looks dark. So detail in the tip can be tough to get straight up. One can also dodge the tip during post to reduce exposure there.
The other thing working against you is the auto white balance on your camera. Reef tank photography is a specialty in the photography arena because of the very high color temperature lighting, and camera manufacturers are not building cameras to suit the needs of reefers. By shooting in RAW mode, one is saving the data from the image sensor before the camera applies white balancing and jpeg conversion. During post processing, this raw data is loaded and white balancing is done by the user / photographer. Colors are set to be what one sees when looking at the tank and they come out very accurate compared to the "way too blue" shots one normally sees from people relying on their camera's auto white balancing.
jc-reef
New member
No problem Brian...feel free to add to this thread. I too am learning how to shoot...I can't wait to get a post processing program so I can learn to shoot in RAW like ReefBass stated. Thanks for sharing the great tips for shooting macro!!
BTW Brian, you can probably post some of your questions in the Photography Forum and get some great tips there. I have read a few threads and have learned A LOT!!
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BTW Brian, you can probably post some of your questions in the Photography Forum and get some great tips there. I have read a few threads and have learned A LOT!!
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