How to Photograph Fish Artistically
Many families across the country have aquariums in the homes that provide them with hours of relaxing entertainer by watching as its inhabitants slow glide from side to side and interact with each other.
Photographers have been taking beautiful photographs of aquarium fish for a long time.
They are usually images of fish that shows them in their totality either of one specimen or of many at a time.
You can take this style or technique one step further and do some macro photography of your aquarium fish, albeit, on a specially made set up.
You need to build a small one fish size tank. an upright rectangle works better because it makes the fish swim up and down, thus showing their elongated tails.
This is to limit the specimen's movement and make it easier to photograph it.
Place your tank in front of a black non glossy backdrop. The room where the photos will be taken has to be dark enough to eliminate any stray light entering the tank and causing reflections
Next place one diffused photo lamp at either side of the tank and one slightly above it. Use a macro capable lens and place it almost touching the surface of the glass.
Make sure to place it very close to the glass, otherwise you risk causing reflection and this is what will show on your photographs.
The fish subjects should be large goldfish because of their elongated tails, their images show abstract characteristics not present in many other varieties. This is what you should attempt to capture in your photos.
The idea is to capture abstract images that although your viewers will recognize as belonging to fish, specifically goldfish, they will appear as beautiful shapes.
Since your goldfish will be moving constantly you should use an electronic shutter release to minimize movement which can occur by manually depressing the shutter which at life size magnifications (macro) can become apparent.
The light sources at the sides and on top of the tank will be more than enough to provide adequate illumination and help freeze the action.
Another fish which is also useful since it possesses some of the fin characteristics as goldfish are the Beta's. Use them alongside your goldfish but one at a time since betas can sometimes be very aggressive towards others when confined in small spaces.
They are good photo subjects because they come in other colors like blue or red not found in regular goldfish. Include other parts of your subjects in extreme close ups if possible like their scales.
Make this project a chance to capture images that are not regularly seen by many and to showcase the beauty that many aquarium fish can bring into our lives.
- 50 Incredible Photography Techniques and Tutorials | Smashing Magazine
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