Ok I suck at fish pictures

[fender4string]

lol so as the title of the thread states my pictures of fish can be summed up in one word-mediocre.

They are pretty much always blurry and out of focus.

I've been using a mirco lens on my Dad's Nikon D2x to try and take the pictures. I've also been trying manual focus.

Any tips on how I can improve my fish picture taking skills?

Here's a few sample pics-these are some of the "better" pictures.

 

[maddog10]

You need more light. Either add lights above the aquarium or use an overhead/remote flash.

More light/flash will allow you to use a faster shutter speed.

Watch out when shooting directly over the white sand, it is easy to overexpose the sand. Be sure to diffuse the light.

 

[nickb]

The shutter speeds for the photos you posted are all between 1/15 and 1/40 secs. With a 150mm lens, you will have camera shake if you are hand-holding the camera. If you aren't using a tripod, that would be a good step. But, at that shutter speed, the fish may well be moving and causing blur. You could try a somewhat large aperture.

Try maddog10's suggestions. But, the on-cameras flash likely wouldn't be too helpful since you will get reflection off the glass.

PS. You might also try a shorter, non-micro lens. Fish are so large, that you don't need the macro capability.

 

[amadillo]

nice pics

 

[fender4string]

Thanks for the tips guys

I'll try using flash and a different type of lens. Sadly I did use a tripod for the all the pictures above except the tang .

How do I "diffuse the light" off of the sandbed?

 

[maddog10]

You can use white paper between the flash/light and tank. You can also use tissue paper across the flash (be sure to leave an air gap, as it gets hot). Be sure to only cover the flash lens.

This can also be used for the on-board flash on a DSLR.

If you have to use the on-board flash, you can SLIGHTLY tilt the camera down so that when the flash bounces back (and it will) it will be directed to the top portion of the photo.

Here is a cheap optical slave flash (will be triggered by your cameras on-board flash). The bulb was purchased from B&H and costs about $35 the reflector is from Home Depot and was about $10. The draw back to this set up is that it fires at full power every time. If to powerful you can raise it farther above the tank or add paper between the tank and the flash.

This is what the flash looks like. I like this one because it does not use batteries. It screws into a standard light socket.

 

[fender4string]

Thanks-I do have access to a flash. I'm a newb (actually photography ignorant) so bear with me on this explanation.

It's a mount on flash that has a plastic clip-on cover made of semi-opaque "foggy" or "clouded" plastic. I assume this accomplishes the same thing as the paper would?

Also there's an optic monitor which I think my dad said measures the subjects light intensity and adjusts the flash accordingly.

I just haven't used flash yet when trying to take pictures so I'm hoping that combined with a faster shutter speed will help.

It's a sweet camera with pretty much all the high-end fixins'. The poor quality is definitely all on me. My dad doesn't seem to know how to adjust it to get good water photos as he usually uses it for outdoors and portrait style pictures (not sure how different those are but he seems to take good pictures in that style).

I'll try taking pictures this week and let you guys know how I do. Thanks!