how 2 photograph your tank!!

[RobMiller]

Hi, i just took pics of my tank with a 24 roll film,got them developed and they came out all blurred. Im using a good quality camera with zoom, anti red eye flash etc.
The camera is an Olympus MultiAF Superzoom 110.

I took the photos with the lights off, with a flash, zoomed in on fishes and tank and nothing came out
focussed. I can even see the reflection of my hands on the camera taking the photo in the photo. The flash lite up the pictures of the tank like the lights were on and it looked shocking. I also had the camera menu setting on nightime. (because i had all the lights off)

I was using Kodak MAX 400spd film, good stuff.

any suggestions?

 

[jeff720]

Hmmm... I would take it without the flash and the tank lights on. The flash will usually just cause a reflection from the glass.
For it being blurry I'm not sure... maybe the camera focused in on the object wrong. Or you could try using a tripod to help keep the camera steady too.

 

[mike the zealot]

nah best fish photography is with a flash, just do it at an angle. It's best if you have an external flash you can set up off to the side

also, make sure you're using macro mode for close ups

a tripod helps a lot

digital cameras are really the way to go, because 90% of your shots are junk, you can see your results quickly and adjust.

here's a good fish photgraphy link:
http://www.characin.com/photography/web-show/A-01-intro.html

 

[Gomer]

One thing is, you could have been too close to the fish. You need a minimum distance to photograph. I have lots of digital pics and ya....50-100 shots for 10 or so decent ones...and out of that...maybe 5 are good.

Yesterday, I shot off about 12 shots on the film SLR. I LOVE using SLR's for the ability to zoom ad focus MUCH faster than other cameras. If they come out good, I'll post them here.

Bluriness might also be caused by the slow shutter speed...to account for the lack of light.

 

[beaver8888]

i take mine from a angle so the flash does not show and make it totlaly blury i came out wit some crapy pics but there like 80% better at a angle i think

 

[smalltank99]

Take the pictures while the fish arent moving. If you take pics while they are moving it will come out blurred and crappy.

 

[Twinbot]

I use a digital camera, no flash, and turn every available light on, including the one in the tank. If you can get a window or two open, it helps tremendously.

 

[Gomer]

I actually turn off all the lights except the tank light

 

[bluegourami2]

that's the way to do it gomer.

if you don't want your pics to come out blurry (even when your fish are moving), i suggest turing out all the lights except the tank light, and use a large apeture, shutter speed 250ish and use flash while shooting from about 1 1/2 feet away. do it at an angle from the glass (like beaver8888 said) so you don't get a bad flash reflection.

this always works for me.

another thing you can do is when the fish aren't moving, do a selective focus and focus only on the fish. it looks really cool.