not the most cost effective greenhouse you ever heard of
- Thread starter redox
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RedSonja
Premium Member
Re: pics
Re: pics
Redox there are a couple or three gadgets that help me a lot with pictures, and most of my pictures are top down as well. First of all, a tripod that's set up to point downward is GREAT! Greg showed me a trick of setting it up so one leg is longer than the others and it "leans" forward. Then pivot the camera mounted on it to point straight down. You want to put a bag of sand or something on that longer leg so it doesn't lean too far and take your camera for a swim though.
Second is a remote button for the camera. We got this one: Canon Remote Switch RS60 E3. Even having the camera on a tripod, you can cause motion just pushing the shutter button.
Third is not a cheap one but makes a world of difference: a Speedlite flash and off-camera cord. You can have your light source directly above the coral, or to the side or whatever.
I haven't had the attention span to read the manual on our camera either, darn ADD. But using those three gadgets has made a huge difference in my picture quality. I can post some before and after pictures if you like, it's pretty amazing.
-Sonja
Re: pics
Redox there are a couple or three gadgets that help me a lot with pictures, and most of my pictures are top down as well. First of all, a tripod that's set up to point downward is GREAT! Greg showed me a trick of setting it up so one leg is longer than the others and it "leans" forward. Then pivot the camera mounted on it to point straight down. You want to put a bag of sand or something on that longer leg so it doesn't lean too far and take your camera for a swim though.
Second is a remote button for the camera. We got this one: Canon Remote Switch RS60 E3. Even having the camera on a tripod, you can cause motion just pushing the shutter button.
Third is not a cheap one but makes a world of difference: a Speedlite flash and off-camera cord. You can have your light source directly above the coral, or to the side or whatever.
I haven't had the attention span to read the manual on our camera either, darn ADD. But using those three gadgets has made a huge difference in my picture quality. I can post some before and after pictures if you like, it's pretty amazing.
-Sonja
rustybucket145
New member
A tripod will make a larger difference in anybody's picture taking ability. It may not seem like you're moving.... but you are. You won't realize it until you snap a few off the tripod and see the difference. I'm personally a real big fan of using no flash at all in aquarium photography. Sometimes you just have to but you will get better shots if you don't. A flash just introduces too many variables like glare, reflection (off the water and back reflection off equipment). I must have shot 100 images one night with my flash on and could tell in the veiwfinder they were turning out great..... Opened them on the computer and I could clearly read the 'Canon' Logo on every single pic 
It was reflecting from the flash, to the water, back to my Cannon logo on my camera and then back down to the water..... DOH!!! 100 pics!! Would have made a great Canon Ad...
It was reflecting from the flash, to the water, back to my Cannon logo on my camera and then back down to the water..... DOH!!! 100 pics!! Would have made a great Canon Ad...
RedSonja
Premium Member
That's why the remote cord is so nice for the Speedlite. And thanks to digital, I can take 2 or 6 dozen shots of the same coral with the light in different places and keep the best one. I've found that holding the light aimed at a slight angle, above the camera but pointed toward the subject (the same as if you were shooting outside, keeping the sun behind you) gives me the best results.
It's fun to play with this stuff and see what you can do, isn't it?
Redox are you turning off your pumps/airlifts when you take pictures? That helps a lot too.
-Sonja
rustybucket145
New member
hehe..
just gives me another reason to stare at the tank for hours... 
