Sometimes I just sit on these things way too long. I'll be the first to admit that taking pics has been my biggest procrastination since getting settled in the new shop. I really can't explain why. Other than it's a process. I am not hovering over my raceways with an iPhone, an orange filter and a porthole. No. I have a separate tank set up just for shooting coral that's lit perfectly. While this provides the best environment to accurately portray the coral, it is ultimately a really tedious process. And one I am always trying to improve on as well. So I just keep putting it off till I have a decent block of time to really do it. Which is not often, unfortunately.
Anyway, where am I going with this? It hit me a few weeks ago (last one to the party perhaps) that people don't really use white light over there aquariums anymore. And I totally understand that. I am with you all 100%. Short of a few "hot" hours mid-day, my own display is awesomely blue the majority of the cycle. Why? It's a no brainer. The coral simply looks better. It's super simple. The same reason the 20k bulb eclipsed the 10k. This is really nothing new. Ok, fair enough blues rules. But, I was asking myself, "Why then, am I shooting coral under whites ?" Even under-representing them in some cases by comparison? Was I just clinging to some altruistic vision of how coral should be represented to the masses? In many ways yes. I think I was/am. Faithful coral photography has been one of my highest concerns and in many ways the very backbone of my entire enterprise. I have done the best I could to prevent people from having that overwhelming feeling of blighted hope when they receive a coral that looks nothing like the pic they were persuaded by to purchase.
And again, where does that leave us? Here it is. “I’m shooting under heavy blues now.” There I said it. As many of my followers on instagram have learned already, I am now offering shots of coral represented just the way they look while radiating color under the haze of heavy Blue Led. I just think it’s time.
So, as perhaps one of the best examples I have of this dichotomy, and my official entrance to the "blue party" I give you the Two Guys Inner Core. Shot under heavy blue and then “daylight”. Not exaggerated at all, and what I mean exactly by that is this. What you see on the left, is what you will see when this coral is in your tank at the end of the day when your lights are ramping way down and the blues are in charge. Still running Halides? Or just don't like the looks of deep blue? Well, then the right pic is for you. But with the majority of reefers running blue to heavy blue over their tanks, I couldn't come up with a single reason not to start shooting this way.
Do I really feel like I need to explain myself on this one. Absolutely! Because I’ll confess it still feels weird. I'm the guy that has been shooting faithful “white” pics since the beginning and this is a huge deviation from my usual fare. And as long as I’m being honest, I do not like the look of that weird dead-looking “gray rock” at all. Lol. But anyway, I welcome any and all feedback on this new approach. Feel free to let me have it if you think I’ve sunk a little here. In a lot of ways, I'm just trying to keep up here.
Anyway, where am I going with this? It hit me a few weeks ago (last one to the party perhaps) that people don't really use white light over there aquariums anymore. And I totally understand that. I am with you all 100%. Short of a few "hot" hours mid-day, my own display is awesomely blue the majority of the cycle. Why? It's a no brainer. The coral simply looks better. It's super simple. The same reason the 20k bulb eclipsed the 10k. This is really nothing new. Ok, fair enough blues rules. But, I was asking myself, "Why then, am I shooting coral under whites ?" Even under-representing them in some cases by comparison? Was I just clinging to some altruistic vision of how coral should be represented to the masses? In many ways yes. I think I was/am. Faithful coral photography has been one of my highest concerns and in many ways the very backbone of my entire enterprise. I have done the best I could to prevent people from having that overwhelming feeling of blighted hope when they receive a coral that looks nothing like the pic they were persuaded by to purchase.
And again, where does that leave us? Here it is. “I’m shooting under heavy blues now.” There I said it. As many of my followers on instagram have learned already, I am now offering shots of coral represented just the way they look while radiating color under the haze of heavy Blue Led. I just think it’s time.
So, as perhaps one of the best examples I have of this dichotomy, and my official entrance to the "blue party" I give you the Two Guys Inner Core. Shot under heavy blue and then “daylight”. Not exaggerated at all, and what I mean exactly by that is this. What you see on the left, is what you will see when this coral is in your tank at the end of the day when your lights are ramping way down and the blues are in charge. Still running Halides? Or just don't like the looks of deep blue? Well, then the right pic is for you. But with the majority of reefers running blue to heavy blue over their tanks, I couldn't come up with a single reason not to start shooting this way.
Do I really feel like I need to explain myself on this one. Absolutely! Because I’ll confess it still feels weird. I'm the guy that has been shooting faithful “white” pics since the beginning and this is a huge deviation from my usual fare. And as long as I’m being honest, I do not like the look of that weird dead-looking “gray rock” at all. Lol. But anyway, I welcome any and all feedback on this new approach. Feel free to let me have it if you think I’ve sunk a little here. In a lot of ways, I'm just trying to keep up here.
