Photographing a State Aquarium

Ed911

I'm going to photograph a state aquarium tomorrow...late I know, but if there is anyone out there that has some experience shooting thorough glass at fishies...let me know. This is a just-for-fun trip, and if the shoot goes okay, I will post the results here.

Need advice on shutter speeds, DOF, etc.

I will be using a tripod and trying hi ISO and slower shutter speed...but any help is always appreciated.

LiquidAir

I don't bother with a tripod in an aquarium because I need a high enough shutter speed to stop the motion of the fish anyhow. High ISO is the way to go. The brighter tanks aren't too bad, but for the darker ones, I'd suggest a f/2.8 lens preferrably with IS.

Here is a shot from the Montery Bay Aquarium:



Canon 70-300 DO IS, ISO 800, f/6.3 1/125s

DBSmith

Any IS lens will be a big help in this situation. Obviously, leave the flash at home. There will be some fish that you simply will not be able to get a good shot off (faster moving ones). If you can get one that is just floating in place, you'll get great shots - just watch out for glare on the glass. Enjoy! Let us know how it goes.

pathfinder

I have shot the Aquarium in Chattanooga a couple times, and the light can be REAL dark at times.

I would suggest a 50mm f1.4 or an 85mm f1.8 on an APS sensored camera.

If you have a 35mm f1.4 is will work great also. Faster is really better, and 2.8 may not be as fast as you would prefer. A zoom is not really needed usually. I always shot aquaria with primes.

You will be shooting at ISO 800 and higher. A tripod deos not help much because you may be panning with the swimming fishes in the larger tanks or holding the front lens hood on the glass itself for stabilization. IS lenses don't help much because most fish are in constant motion.

Buy a microfibre cleaninng cloth from Sam's or someplace - frequently the front of the smaller aquaria are covered with fingerprints and gruk. Give'm a swipe with the micro fibre cloth.

If you have a RUBBER lens shade ( they screw in like a filter ) they can be helpful, because you can press them right up against the glass surface and help reduce glare and reflections.

ISO 1600 f2.5 1/160th 85mm


ISO 1600 f2.8 1/60th 85mm



ISO 1600 f3.2 1/30th 85mm


Here is one shot with Kodachrome in a housing underwater off Grand Cayman many years ago with a Canon F-1