Point And Shoot Camera Causes Point And Move Fish...

[cyradis4]

Hi!

I've been trying to get pics of my afras. Unfortunitally, whenever I point my old digital camera at them, they promplty move. At which point, due in part to lighting and in part to its age, I get blurred fish and clear background..... The shutter speed (?) is slow, and when I try to get more light on the tank, I get a very bright spot on the PVC in the tank and the fish are in the dark. Any suggestions for a beginner photogropher on how to even out the light on the PVC? And how do you guys get your fish used to the camera, other then the obvious one of time? Keep in mind that this camera is about 7 years old, has seen hard use, and is a point and shoot digital with shutter problems....

Thanks!
Amanda.

 

[phishphorphun]

Amanda, you are discovering the main difference between P&S vs DSLR cameras when shooting moving subjects. All P&S cams have a delay between the time you depress the button to the time the shutter has completely opened and closed.

You must force yourself to hold the camera perfectly still for about two seconds after you fire your shot. Getting the subject in the frame and timing when you shoot, is part of the photographer's skill. I always suggest for folks to watch the swimming habits of their subject for a while to get use to where and when they will be in a particular area of the tank that is best for photographing it. Unfortunately, that takes time and patience.

A trick that many of us use for camera shy fish, is to sit a camera in front of the tank for long periods of time so that the fish will get use to it. What I do is place my ladder in front of the tank and just leave it there all the time that I'm not home.

As for the bright spot on your PVC. I'm guessing you are using the flash on your camera. When using onboard flash, we recommend that it is diffused. You can diffuse it with tissue paper. Tape a piece of tissue in front of the flash lens leaving space between the flash and the tissue (so you don't scorch the lens). This will help get rid of the "hot spot" that the flash is throwing into your tank, and spread the light a little more evenly.

The bottom line is, to take better photos of aquarium fish, you should add a whole lot of overhead light and not use the flash on your camera. Or you have to upgrade to equipment that allows you to use remote flashes that you can place over the aquarium and shoot down.

It's all about have enough light to get proper exposure for moving fish.

 

[cyradis4]

Actually.... I'm not using the flash. The glare is being caused by the light on the tank.... But will putting paper between the tank light and the tank have the same effect?

Thanks for the tips too!

Amanda.

 

[Tim]

Amanda,

Just reading through old posts and didn't know if you ever got this problem resolved. When using point and shoot cameras, many of them don't give you control over what the camera is looking at. If the camera is looking at the PVC pipe and adjusting focus and exposure, then the PVC will be clear and white and the fish will be dark. If you have a manual setting on your camera, as many of them do these days, you can try adjusting aperature and shutter speed, then use your onboard flash as Bobby suggested with some tissue over it as a diffuser.

Tim

 

[mscichlid]

let's see more of what you've been shooting.

FB

 

[cyradis4]

Well, as I've been hammered with work from school recently.... you'll have to wait two weeks or so for me to get the current exam/presentation/paper cycle over with.....

Later!
Amanda.