nycustomsumps
In Memoriam
what camera are you using ? what megapix?
Some of my favorites...
- Thread starter will16
- Start date
marino420td
Premium Member
Wow, I have never seen a captive tang actually use those razors. I guess that's why they are called surgeonfish!
Reef Bass
colors and textures
Yup, the knife lies in that slot, ready for use. Notice how it is hinged at the tail end, so it comes out in the opposite direction of general water flow and is better designed to deliver and withstand substantial blows.
I also have not heard of many incidents of tangs / surgeonfish actually brandishing their blades, much less seen pictures. Very nice. The one with the scale pierced by the tang's blade is awesome.
My magnificent purple tang is rather territorial and has given me clear threat displays (while extending all his fins, tilting slightly off straight up and down, moving his body in an exaggerated side to side manner towards my hand generally tail first). That wee knife would slice human flesh like butta.
I also have not heard of many incidents of tangs / surgeonfish actually brandishing their blades, much less seen pictures. Very nice. The one with the scale pierced by the tang's blade is awesome.
My magnificent purple tang is rather territorial and has given me clear threat displays (while extending all his fins, tilting slightly off straight up and down, moving his body in an exaggerated side to side manner towards my hand generally tail first). That wee knife would slice human flesh like butta.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
That is just unbelievable. Now I understand why tangs reserve those spines for the worst of grudges. They came out of his skin like "wolverine" or something. I've often read about this but never seen it.
jsnicholas
New member
Pictures
Pictures
Great Pictures!,
This may be a little off subject, but I would love to know more about the pictures themselves.
Could you please give general camera settings?
ISO, speed, Apetture?
Was a flash used?
What lens?
Any "tricks" or advice?
Thanks
Pictures
Great Pictures!,
This may be a little off subject, but I would love to know more about the pictures themselves.
Could you please give general camera settings?
ISO, speed, Apetture?
Was a flash used?
What lens?
Any "tricks" or advice?
Thanks
jsnicholas
New member
Wrasses
Wrasses
Back on the subject of fish...
I looks like you have multiple wrasses in you tank(s).
Which ones tend to do well together? I have a 39G and am wondering if it would work with more than 1 small wrasse.
Thanks
Wrasses
Back on the subject of fish...
I looks like you have multiple wrasses in you tank(s).
Which ones tend to do well together? I have a 39G and am wondering if it would work with more than 1 small wrasse.
Thanks
will16
New member
Re: Wrasses
Re: Wrasses
For the most part, wrasses will get along with each other. There may be a little initial displaying and chasing but not too serious. There are some exceptions, I have heard that 6 lines and Mystery's can be aggressive, particularly in smaller tanks (I have never had either). The Halichoeres wrasses are pretty easy going but some can get large. The Fairies are awesome and generally stay on the smaller side 4"-6". For a 39G though I would probably go with flashers... McCoskers, Yellowfin, Filamented, etc... many choices. If you do multiples of the same species, I would do only 1 male and make the others females. Otherwise there will be fighting. Also, make sure you have the top covered. All wrasses are jumpers. Egg crate does not work. I have lost a few through that.
Good luck.
Re: Wrasses
For the most part, wrasses will get along with each other. There may be a little initial displaying and chasing but not too serious. There are some exceptions, I have heard that 6 lines and Mystery's can be aggressive, particularly in smaller tanks (I have never had either). The Halichoeres wrasses are pretty easy going but some can get large. The Fairies are awesome and generally stay on the smaller side 4"-6". For a 39G though I would probably go with flashers... McCoskers, Yellowfin, Filamented, etc... many choices. If you do multiples of the same species, I would do only 1 male and make the others females. Otherwise there will be fighting. Also, make sure you have the top covered. All wrasses are jumpers. Egg crate does not work. I have lost a few through that.
Good luck.
will16
New member
Re: Pictures
Re: Pictures
Oh boy... you asked for it
I have found that taking pictures in the tank was surprisingly more difficult than I though it would be. I figured there is a lot of light so it wouldn't be too hard. I think the biggest problem is that there is such a wide range of lighting in the tank, depending on the lighting, rockwork, corals, shadows, etc... For any given frame there are a lot of elements that are brightly lit right next to a lot of elements in deep shadow. This throws off the camera's metering and generally over exposes the image to compensate for all the shadows. This varies in different parts of the tank and after a while you get to know the lighting conditions in each part of the tank.
The camera settings vary depending on what you are shooting but in general I shoot in Aperture Priorty mode. This way I set it according to the depth of field I want to obtain. If shooting with macro lens, you are even closer to the subject so the depth of field becomes narrower. I find that f/2.8 is generally narrower than I usually want. For fish shots, I have been shooting at f/4 lately.
For metering I have found that partial metering (on my camera about an 8% circle in middle of the frame) with an exposure compensation of -2/3 stops works best. Spot metering works great if you have the right spot selected but that is really almost impossible with fast moving fish. Keep the metering circle on the body of the fish and that generally keeps the fish properly exposed. As I mentioned, this does change for different parts of the tank.
For focusing in moving fish, I sometimes use AI Focusing mode and center point focusing. I try to always keep the focus point on the eye of the fish and track it around the tank. IMO, as with shooting people, as long as the eyes are in proper focus, the shot will work regardless of depth of field. If the fish doesn't move too fast, I use one shot and manually select the focus point. If the fish swims left, I choose the left focus point and keep that on its eye and track him across the tank. As soon as it turns right, I switch to the right focus point and track him the other way. All the while adjusting exposure compensation depending on tank location. Always keep the camera as perpendicular to the glass as possible. If it is not, there will be distortion. I must look ridiculous while I do this.
Oh and I don't use flash as it totally throws off the colors. Unless... you use an off camera strobe and softbox...
Then you can get stuff like this
Sorry, you got me rambling Hope some of that helps
Re: Pictures
Oh boy... you asked for it
I have found that taking pictures in the tank was surprisingly more difficult than I though it would be. I figured there is a lot of light so it wouldn't be too hard. I think the biggest problem is that there is such a wide range of lighting in the tank, depending on the lighting, rockwork, corals, shadows, etc... For any given frame there are a lot of elements that are brightly lit right next to a lot of elements in deep shadow. This throws off the camera's metering and generally over exposes the image to compensate for all the shadows. This varies in different parts of the tank and after a while you get to know the lighting conditions in each part of the tank.The camera settings vary depending on what you are shooting but in general I shoot in Aperture Priorty mode. This way I set it according to the depth of field I want to obtain. If shooting with macro lens, you are even closer to the subject so the depth of field becomes narrower. I find that f/2.8 is generally narrower than I usually want. For fish shots, I have been shooting at f/4 lately.
For metering I have found that partial metering (on my camera about an 8% circle in middle of the frame) with an exposure compensation of -2/3 stops works best. Spot metering works great if you have the right spot selected but that is really almost impossible with fast moving fish. Keep the metering circle on the body of the fish and that generally keeps the fish properly exposed. As I mentioned, this does change for different parts of the tank.
For focusing in moving fish, I sometimes use AI Focusing mode and center point focusing. I try to always keep the focus point on the eye of the fish and track it around the tank. IMO, as with shooting people, as long as the eyes are in proper focus, the shot will work regardless of depth of field. If the fish doesn't move too fast, I use one shot and manually select the focus point. If the fish swims left, I choose the left focus point and keep that on its eye and track him across the tank. As soon as it turns right, I switch to the right focus point and track him the other way. All the while adjusting exposure compensation depending on tank location. Always keep the camera as perpendicular to the glass as possible. If it is not, there will be distortion. I must look ridiculous while I do this.
Oh and I don't use flash as it totally throws off the colors. Unless... you use an off camera strobe and softbox...
Then you can get stuff like this
Sorry, you got me rambling
Hope some of that helpsLobsterMan
New member
I love all of the pics!
jsnicholas
New member
Thanks alot for the Photo tutorial. Assuming I am using a tripod, what kind of speed do you use for swimming fish?
Thanks
Thanks
will16
New member
Well, I don't think it is practical to shoot moving fish on a tripod. At least I have never had success doing that. If you keep the lens perpendicular to the glass, that would mean that you should not swivel the tripod head and would be carrying it back and forth to follow the fish. I hand hold the camera and bump up the iso until I get a useable shutter. What that shutter is really depends on how much that particular fish moves and how steady your hand is. i.e. my fathead anthias usually just hovers so I can shoot him down to 1/40th but to catch a wrasse, I would want a shutter of about 1/100th to 1/200th depending oh how fast it is.
Reeftanks6
Active member
Amazing photos will.
