# Isolating fish from background, even lighting



## Virto

Hey folks - 

Sitting at work and wondering what the best way to get proper lighting from a strobe while shooting a tank.

I assume that firing a strobe down from the top of the tank would be best, given that straight on would glare uncontrollably and bouncing the flash would result in some glare as well as one hell of a color cast from my dark orange walls.

Since I'll have to trigger it off-camera, I'll probably just use a fully manual strobe rather than a TTL hotshoe flash. 

I'd prefer to use the 5D, but if autofocus is somehow too slow, I've got a 40D or a 1D I can fall back on. The only issue with using the 1D is that it's my old school monster, so it's only 4MP and any ISO over 200 (native for 1D) looks like you printed on sandpaper if you don't nail exposure. It also bands like crazy, so there's less freedom in post if you shoot too dark.

Lens-wise I'd either use an EF 100mm 2.8 macro or a 70-200 f4 L - the 70-200 would be far faster focusing than the very long-throw of the macro lens.

Hints or tips? Ideally, I'd like to get decently lit fish with either a black or dark background. They're hard to nail focus on, so I'll probably have to shoot fairly stopped down to avoid say, an in-focus tail and a blurry little fish face.


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## Fiftymeatballs

Do you only own strobes? They are going to really scare your fish, so I'd think. It's easier to use continuous lighting from the top and sides of the tank. Give a nice edge light to make them pop off the background. Sorry I can't really answer your question, I'll be following along to see what everyone else says.
I think the 70-200 is the way to go, it will keep you far enough back so that your fish won't be even more startled. 

What type of fish are you trying to capture?


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## Virto

I don't shoot any video, so I never invested in continuous lighting. Too hot, too bright when it's in your face - easily affordable for sure, but not something I'd ever needed. Besides, I'd think it would be harder to capture a fish that might be moving with CFL versus a strobe/hotshoe flash. Otherwise I'd probably get decent results by cranking the ISO and just shooting under the tank lighting, which isn't the case.

It's more for general knowledge, but I keep a number of black neon tetras, aussie rainbows, plecostomus and cory cats.


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## Legot

Have you tried pointing the flash steight down, or at a slight angle from the top of the tank?


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## dmagerl

What kind of flash are you using? 

I have a 550ex. I lay it on top of a piece of egg crate on top of the tank, pointing upward. Then put a section of white vinyl gutter over it to diffuse the flash and direct it downward.

A direct flash creates harsh lighting. You ahve to diffuse it somehow.


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## Fiftymeatballs

Here are a couple quick shots I took of my discus using the available T5 overhead lighting thats on the tank and then threw up an Arri 150W edge light. I took this with a 7D, 70-200 L f2.8. 

I don't own any strobes since I work in film. I actually never take photos of my fish I really should start since I have the equipment, I think this post inspired me. I would love to see how your photos come out please post your results. I think I am going to play around with creating a lot of contrast in the tank and having the background drop like your talking about.


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## Virto

dmagerl said:


> What kind of flash are you using?
> 
> I have a 550ex. I lay it on top of a piece of egg crate on top of the tank, pointing upward. Then put a section of white vinyl gutter over it to diffuse the flash and direct it downward.
> 
> A direct flash creates harsh lighting. You ahve to diffuse it somehow.


If I was firing on camera or with a TTL cord, I'd use a 430EXII, but instead I'll use radio triggers and a fully manual Yuongno hotshoe flash. Power-wise, it's got slightly more pop at full than a 430, but I don't think I'll need to go that high anyway.

I considered the egg crate method, although I could easily use a shoot through umbrella on a boom overhead, as well.


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## tetra73

Remember that if the light source is from above, it would cast shadows downward. The light would be brighter towards the surface and darker closer to the substrate. You can use the flash and shooting through the glass. The glass should be very clear and clean. You shoot at an angle. You must properly dialing the correct balance of the ambient lighting and the flash. Unfortunately, the subject is beyond this thread here. Glare and the flash reflection are ok as long as they aren't inside the frame. Here is an example. This shot was taken maybe 3 years ago in the NY Aquarium. I strobed the shot and shooting through the glass. No silly nonsense like CPL filter or silly rubber hood.  



AF isn't all that important shooting your own fish in your own aquarium. They are relatively moving slow enough to manually focusing them. However, you should get a marco lens for your own aquarium photo. A macro lens can focus closer and can enlarge the fish. In a public aquarium, most fish are pretty big and so you don't need a close focusing distance to enlarge them. Avoid all 70-200 variations. The min focusing distance is like 4 ft. At 4 away, your fish would look too small.


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## Fiftymeatballs

Beautiful photo and fish. I didn't know they have wilds at the Ny aquarium!! 

With a 70-200 just because your minimum focal distance is at say 4 ft away doesn't mean you can't then zoom in to 200mm and get close up on the fish like I did. I don't own a macro, though I need to buy one for pics of my shrimp. I guess it really depends on the size of your subject, discus are not all that small.

The last photo of the three I posted are of two discus watching over their fry on the wall. That was taken with a 70-200mm f2.8. It was a great lens for taking pics of the parents with their fry so not to startle them. 

It would be funny to see someone at the public aquarium 4ft away from the tank on a tripod trying to take closeups. Might not be ideal but can be done if your restricted with lens choice.


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## tetra73

Fiftymeatballs said:


> Beautiful photo and fish. I didn't know they have wilds at the Ny aquarium!!
> 
> With a 70-200 just because your minimum focal distance is at say 4 ft away doesn't mean you can't then zoom in to 200mm and get close up on the fish like I did. I don't own a macro, though I need to buy one for pics of my shrimp. I guess it really depends on the size of your subject, discus are not all that small.
> 
> The last photo of the three I posted are of two discus watching over their fry on the wall. That was taken with a 70-200mm f2.8. It was a great lens for taking pics of the parents with their fry so not to startle them.
> 
> It would be funny to see someone at the public aquarium 4ft away from the tank on a tripod trying to take closeups. Might not be ideal but can be done if your restricted with lens choice.


Discus is doable but fish like your otos and tetras?  I tried. No good. There are reasons why you may not want a 70-200 to shooting in a public aquarium. If the distance is too far, your flash may not be able to reach it without turning up the power. That's something you don't want. The above shot was taken with a Sigma 50mm on a 1dmarkIII.  I shot plenty of aquarium photos but never use anything longer than 50mm.


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## Virto

Here are a few from tonight. Haven't really had a chance to give it a shot until now. Exposure was bumped a bit in post on the two shots of the male. There's some loss from compression to get the images in under TPT's size limit.

Shot with a 40D with EF 100mm 2.8 Macro, lit from above by radio triggered hotshoe flash.


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