photo how-to article?

euglossa

AC Members
Nov 9, 2006
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Is there an article or thread for shooting tank pics for digital camera noobs? I tried searching, but didn't come up with anything.

I'm still learning my new camera. I have a Canon powershot 550. 7.1 megapixel with optical 4x zoom. It's got a lot of bells and whistles that I haven't figured out yet. I got my best pictures through trial and error..I'm using an ISO setting of 800, though I really haven't the faintest idea what that is-something like f-stop?

We've got a digital SLR camera with a macro lens at work. Wow, I want one. My boss took a picture of a bee tripping an alfalfa flower and it's fast enough you see individual pollen grains blowing off the anthers.

Ellen
 
I have a Nikon D70 digial SLR camera and still don't know that much about it. I took a photography class and think I remember the ISO being the same was "film speed". I can tell you that apature goes something like this...the smaller the apature # the smaller the depth of field is and the larger the # the larger the depth of field. In other words, if you set your apature at a low setting and take a picture of a group of flowers, the flowers in the front will be clearer than the flowers in the back. If you have your apature set at a higher #, all the flowers will be in focus. The flash speed is...the lower the flash speed # (i think my camera goes down to 200 and as high as 8000) the longer the shutter stays closed. The faster the speed #, the faster the shutter closes and opens. If you want running water too look fuzzy then set a low speed but if you want to be able to focus on the droplets of water, set your speed faster.
 
Correct... a larger aperture will result in a narrower depth of field, but also requires more light because the exposure is shorter. A smaller aperture will have a longer exposure and a wider depth of field, but you need to hold hte camera more still because the exposure is longer.

For taking pictures of fish, I generally set the camera to an 800 film speen if possible, a large apterure with a short exposure, because you need to be quick since fish move. You will need lots of light, but I find a flash makes the picture funky, so Its best to keep all the room lights off and get lots of light over the tank.

Now I'm trying to remember...smaller f-stop=smaller aperture=larger depth of field?
 
trial...trial...trial.....
 
Failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure failure Success!

Q

A whoooooooole buncha my pictures exist only here now since I lost my hard drive. Make sure you back up your shots.
 
trial, failure, success...

I guess that's the way of it. I'll keep shooting.

the aquatic photography site looks good, but much too technical for me in the dregs of a hot summer. I want something like an Aquarium Photography for Dummies :confused:

thanks
 
YEah... I looked at the aquatic site as well and they have fallen into the typical mine pit of being too technical that a lot of the specialised aquaria sites have become like them and planted tanks.

Is too bad as these sites have so much to offer the beginner... but they get mired up in their own language that the rest of us can never follow.
 
AquariaCentral.com