Got busy with the shutter

[Reef Bass]

I tossed my Av crutch aside and shot these full manual. I did have to think more about exposure and be more critical instead of merely relying on the camera. I ended up shooting more shots per subject due to exposure bracketing but it was very good for me.

And as always, I'd appreciate constructive criticism, especially exposure related.

 

[Robb in Austin]

They look this close<>to great. Perhaps a tad underexposed. Everything else is perfect to my eye.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

You seem to know exactly what you are doing to me!

 

[IPT]

not sure if he is busting your balls or what ...but I think they look awesome man.

 

[Reef Bass]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. Being not currently married, my tolerance for ball busting is at an all time high. One could argue the last one could be a little hotter (more exposure). I like the contrast of the purple polyps against the green base, the organization of the polyps in rows in areas and the general pointy multi branch form.

I like how the center of #2 is a hole. Plus I get a happy calm feeling from it (must be all the blue). I also like the glowing polyps in #4.

 

[Robb in Austin]

Not ball busting. (BTW, your tolerance should triple with marriage.)

1,2,4,5 look just the tinniest bit under to me. It could be my monitor or just the shadows from the branches making it look low. Other than that, it's great.

 

[oneradtek202]

what exposures?

nevermind i got them, beautiful pics btw

 

[Reef Bass]

No worries Robb. I appreciate the input.

Thanks Brandon.

 

[lordofthereef]

What camera do you use?

 

[Reef Bass]

Canon EOS 50D.

 

[Emster]

Those look fantastic! I really like the 4th one. How do you get so close? I just got a 40d with the 100mm macro and still learning. Do you crop? If I try and get closer then 1 foot from the subject it won't focus.

 

[Reef Bass]

Thanks Emster. I also like that one.

That frag is both not large and happened to be in the front of my tank so it was easy to shoot. You should be able to achieve similar results with your 40D and 100mm macro (same lens as mine if it's the Canon).

I can get to within about 6 inches from my subjects. I have the focal range switch on the lens (near the AF/MF switch) set to 0.31m-infinity, not 0.48m-infinity. Now 0.31m is about 1 foot, so I don't know why I can get to within 6" and focus, but I can. I just tried it and measured the closet I could focus on and the tape measure read 6" from the tip of the lens to the subject. The 0.31m may be measuring from the back of the lens which attaches to the camera body v. measuring from the front of the lens near the subject where I took the measurement.

I also use manual focus, though I don't think that should make a difference on the minimum focal distance.

 

[sedor]

Gorgeous work. My only crit is #3. The blurry foreground object is a little distracting to me.

 

[Reef Bass]

Thanks sedor. I understand your point with #3. The blurry foreground is an obstacle one needs to visually "climb over" to get to the sharp stuff.

If that coral weren't glued onto an unmovable rock I might have tried to position it more favorably to avoid this situation.

I tried shooting that shoot with the foreground focused and the back part vague and the front rim just wasn't that interesting. To me, the overall curved shape of the foreground reinforces / blends with the curved shape of the more visually interesting sharp part of the coral.

 

[Emster]

Yeah I have a canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens and have it set to 0.31m. I just tried it again and I can't get the detail you are getting with your macro's, I'm pulling my hair out. I have tried it both ways manual and AF. The thing that really bugs me is it never looks in focus in the view finder when the AF tells me it is???? This is the best pic I just took it was about 7 inches from the closet part of the lens. Hope you don't mind the hi-jack I took this with a tri-pod, pumps off in AV mode with a aperture at 10 it was at a downward angle through the glass but just a little. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Reef Bass]

it was at a downward angle through the glass but just a little

I'd bet money that's your problem. One must shoot straight through glass to avoid clarity ruining distortion. It's a frustrating limitation.

I use manual focus and remote live view (on my laptop), so I am sure the focal plane is where I want it.

Nice Monti by the way.

 

[Emster]

Thanks thats the Jedi mind trick if your into the names. I bet you are right on the downward angle, that and its just a cheap glass cages frag tank I swear the glass on it is not clear at all some sections are blurry in it. I will try some more photos on my display tank shooting straight when the lights come on. I really hope thats it and its not my camera or lens I spent a fortune on these. Thanks for the help your pics are beautiful I hope one day mine can come out like yours

 

[Reef Bass]

You're welcome. If I can do it, anyone can, particularly with virtually identical equipment. Sometimes I will literally position my lens hood against the glass to insure that I am shooting straight on. I can pull the tripod straight back once the camera is aligned perpendicularly with the glass.

I would definitely try to avoid shooting through areas of the glass with variable density that lack uniformity of clarity.

I thought that was the Jedi Mind Trick Monti undata. Coincidently, I just picked up a frag of that this week! I like undatas. Here's my other one:

 

[Emster]

You will love the Jedi mind trick it's one of my favorites. Another really nice one is the Tyree True undata.

Should I get a lens hood for mine? I have a Hoya UV filter on it. Should I take it off or leave it on?

 

[Reef Bass]

Yeah, the Tyree True undata is a beauty.

I use my lens hood to prevent the intrusion of light from unwanted directions, plus it's a bit of a lens protector. I have a UV filter but I took it off. Putting a piece of cheap glass (my filter) over the wonderful lens only interfered with image glory.