Show off your cichlid Pics! - Page 14

Loman · 11-17-2008, 11:01 PM

The more interesting question in my opinion is regarding the technique used to get the pictures. Do you use any special equipment to gain unobstructed views or do you shoot through the glass? What about exposure and use of flash?

gm333 · 11-17-2008, 11:26 PM

Well, since you aksed Loman, here is how I generally shoot fish.

I make sure the glass is spotless. Cleaned of algae and waterspots(the more I clean the less I have to touchup on the photo). I have a speed flash for my camera and use a shoemount extension cord. I clamp the speedflash to the top of the tank above the water. When taking a flash from above you get more detail in the depth of the fish, rather than the flash just lighting up the side of the fish.
I set my camera on manual, I then set the ISO setting to 200. I set the shutter speed to around 1/500sec, I also set the aperature to f10.00. I will usually manually tweak the contrast and lighting for the pic in the manual controls of the camera. The focal length just depends on how close I am. I like to put the lens as close to the glass as possible.It also helps to point the camera down at a slight angle, this way you dont pick up any of the flash from above.

I generally shoot most of my pics in RAW, this way I have more control over the contrast and colors when I work the pic in photoshop. Most of my pics get photoshopped, not jus for the color, but I clean up all the microbubbles and debris floating around with the clone tool or other available tools. I rarely do much with the color as it is a little tricky to use and can turn a good pic into a horrible mess.

So there is my little secret on taking decent fish shots.
A little thing to remeber when shooting in manual is the lower the ISO setting and the quicker the shutter speed, the more crisp and detailed your shots generally turn out. But you also need to make sure to have a good flash to light up the subject.

Loman · 11-17-2008, 11:40 PM

I will have to try with the flash remote. I had always been disappointed with the flash due to glare issues and without it the shutter speed slows or the aperture opens too much to get a good picture.

I have been playing around recently with a technique that uses slow shutter speeds that will capture some limited motion with a rear curtain sync on the flash(I think your camera will do it - I know the d80 and an sb 600 will). The result is a final picture that has some motion leading up to a sharp fully exposed image. It might make an interesting effect with some of your fish that have good size and color.

gm333 · 11-17-2008, 11:54 PM

I will look into that. We need a section on the forum where we can discuss cameras and shooting.

addictinganimal · 11-20-2008, 11:50 AM

Wow, I'm surprised not to have seen more oscars. Nice pics everyone!

Here are my two babies! I'm still trying to think of names. So far I've taught them to follow me/my fingers around and take food from my hands. I just got them this week. In this pic they had just gotten into their temp tank and didn't show many colors from being stressed.

Each day they're showing more and more. Now one has black fins and mouth with a white underbelly and a mixed orange/black body, and the other has grey fins and a light orange body.

aufo8mycat · 12-17-2008, 07:54 AM

been trying for ages to get at least one of my rams to not only sit still but pose for me with out much success this is the best i can come up with so far doesnt really show of his colour though

thotyler · 12-18-2008, 06:48 PM

nice fish! i would love to share some of my cichilid pics but regretably i have no cichilids,only a 3in goldfish

cichlidgirl · 12-18-2008, 09:16 PM

Here are 3 baby Jack Dempsey i got today along with a tiny green terror.
Here is the tiny terrorized green terror , i saw it and felt so bad for it i brought it home too. As you can see he is skinny and beat up but better than i thought he would be , he was housed with about 30 two inch flowerhorns for 2 weeks. they said he had hidden so much they thought the tank was empty and dumped in the flowerhorns. Poor baby, he seems much happier all ready.

Here are the JD's :

Here are some of my other new world cichlids i have now :

Here is my little acara, i have 4 of them (they were gonna be euthanised if i didnt rescue them.)

Here is the Jack Dempsey i got under the same circumstances, going to be killed. I now have those 3 buddies growing out to keep it company in the big 7 foot tank.

Here are my giant 12 inch rescue oscars i got about 6 months ago, healed great and are loving the big tank .

and finally here is one of my frontosa, this fish has exceptional color, its not the norm.

gm333 · 12-18-2008, 11:47 PM

Nice pics chiclidgirl, the new dempsey have great color.

cichlidgirl · 12-20-2008, 12:17 AM

Thanks, i like them alot too. I just have to be very patient, they are so tiny, will be a long while till they have some good size and adult coloring.