what do you guys think of these shots?

5280Reefer

Lover of all things reef
View Badges
Joined
Mar 3, 2017
Messages
521
Reaction score
408
Location
Owasso
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Trying some different setting, what do you guys think?

Acan 2-27-20.jpg Frogspawn 2-27-20.jpg panama red 2 2-27-20.jpg PC rainbow 2-27-20.jpg UC shortcake 2-27-20.jpg
 

will25u

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 28, 2017
Messages
551
Reaction score
2,962
Location
Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think they look very good. They may need to be sharpened a bit, if that’s possible.
 

AZMSGT

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
3,988
Reaction score
7,893
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They lack focus on a point of subject. Try adjusting your depth of field. Focus on a central item. Using something like f16 and higher will bring more into focus. Use manual focus to get that center item in focus. Odds are you‘ll need a tripod to achieve it in that lighting.
What equipment are you using?
 

maroun.c

Moderator
View Badges
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
4,111
Reaction score
6,387
Location
Lebanon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
as mentioned above working on your focus points is crucial to take the viewers eye on a point you want to show in the coral. on some Most of the shot is out of focus and on some a back branch is the focus point which tends to be confusing. pictures are also a bit blurry and I can see some distortions as you are shooting at an angle tot he glass. I think you nailed the exposure and focus.
 

SuncrestReef

That Apex guy
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
4,214
Reaction score
9,212
Location
Oregon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
F16 is super narrow. I’d experiment but found f8 to be good.

Optimal aperture will vary based on the lens used, and I frequently go well beyond f16 to get great depth of field. Here are some of my shots taken at f29 using a 200mm Nikon macro lens.

Plate coral:
Screen Shot 2019-03-23 at 2.39.15 PM.png

Garf Bonsai:
1968275878_ScreenShot2019-08-19at11_57_48AM.png.0649bcab33e2e903c269b3ac4071d06b.png

Acan:
Screen Shot 2018-11-12 at 3.15.50 PM.png

Bizarro Cyphastrea:
970720871_ScreenShot2019-03-22at3_33_02PM.png.ce40e8353cfbd9dfd3b93e1296792746.png

Pink Spotted Discoma:
1907431119_ScreenShot2019-02-08at12_48_40PM.png.74ac73c9969d599e1c293335c8db1976.png
 

Pmez

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
185
Reaction score
40
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
These pics came out really nice. I struggle to just remember to take progression shots for my comparison lol
 
OP
OP
5280Reefer

5280Reefer

Lover of all things reef
View Badges
Joined
Mar 3, 2017
Messages
521
Reaction score
408
Location
Owasso
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Optimal aperture will vary based on the lens used, and I frequently go well beyond f16 to get great depth of field. Here are some of my shots taken at f29 using a 200mm Nikon macro lens.

Plate coral:
Screen Shot 2019-03-23 at 2.39.15 PM.png

Garf Bonsai:
1968275878_ScreenShot2019-08-19at11_57_48AM.png.0649bcab33e2e903c269b3ac4071d06b.png

Acan:
Screen Shot 2018-11-12 at 3.15.50 PM.png

Bizarro Cyphastrea:
970720871_ScreenShot2019-03-22at3_33_02PM.png.ce40e8353cfbd9dfd3b93e1296792746.png

Pink Spotted Discoma:
1907431119_ScreenShot2019-02-08at12_48_40PM.png.74ac73c9969d599e1c293335c8db1976.png

so i have the Cannon 100mm macro and any time i go over f10 it gets REAL dark and increasing my iso just makes it super grainy, something im missing?
 

SuncrestReef

That Apex guy
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
4,214
Reaction score
9,212
Location
Oregon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
so i have the Cannon 100mm macro and any time i go over f10 it gets REAL dark and increasing my iso just makes it super grainy, something im missing?

You need a longer exposure to compensate for the aperture. I shoot my macro photos with a tripod since the exposure times could cause motion blurring.
 

DeniseAndy

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
7,802
Reaction score
10,677
Location
Milford, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Kudos to you for working on taking good pictures. I am personally an idiot with photography. I blame my husband. His hobby is photography. He loves to spend hours to get a good shot. He has always been the one taking pictures. So, I never had to learn.
I still try for my aquarium, but I do not get even close to what you have done. I did notice the focal distance thing though. :)
Keep working, we will love seeing you develop.
 
OP
OP
5280Reefer

5280Reefer

Lover of all things reef
View Badges
Joined
Mar 3, 2017
Messages
521
Reaction score
408
Location
Owasso
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You need a longer exposure to compensate for the aperture. I shoot my macro photos with a tripod since the exposure times could cause motion blurring.

that is super hard when taking in water pictures haha i need the super fast shutter speeds but i will try some
 

maroun.c

Moderator
View Badges
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
4,111
Reaction score
6,387
Location
Lebanon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I still see some blurr In those. What's ur shutter speed? Maybe try to turn off flow to decrease movement of the corals
 

Mikeltee

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Messages
1,426
Reaction score
1,140
Location
Fishers, IN
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
They look pretty good but if you are looking for constructive criticism read on....
They arent sharp. They appear to be zoomed in crops from a much larger photo. Heres what I suggest:
A tripod and remote shutter release
A lense to match the distance and size of the subject
Learning about aperture as to enhance your focal point and blur out the background
Experiment with macros lenses. It's hard to get a subject totally in focus in one shot so you layer multiple shots and these can turn into some highly impressive photos.
Edit naturally... pics that are cooked in post make real photographers cringe!
 

PedroYoung

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
2,013
Reaction score
3,034
Location
Chelsea, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
so i have the Cannon 100mm macro and any time i go over f10 it gets REAL dark and increasing my iso just makes it super grainy, something im missing?
I shoot with Canon, also 100mm Macro, and use the "aperture priority" mode. That let's you set aperture, and then auto compensates everything else to keep from getting that dark look. Looks good, just turn off all your pumps etc, use a tripod and try to shoot straight through the glass (perpendicular). Keep shooting!!
 

Mikeltee

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Messages
1,426
Reaction score
1,140
Location
Fishers, IN
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I shoot with Canon, also 100mm Macro, and use the "aperture priority" mode. That let's you set aperture, and then auto compensates everything else to keep from getting that dark look. Looks good, just turn off all your pumps etc, use a tripod and try to shoot straight through the glass (perpendicular). Keep shooting!!

May I suggest you learn manual mode first? Aperture mode sets your bokeh and with a macros lens you want F8 to keep everything in focus unless you are layering shots. I dont suggest a macros lens unless you are a pro and know how to use it. They are very expensive and highly technical to properly use them. You can get great pics out of a normal f2.8 glass. It might make more sense to shoot speed mode because you have flow blowing your corals and you need to stop the action. Also, you want a speed fast enough to not blur like OPs photos display. Make sure your ISO is less than 2000 with 400 or less being preferable. Again... learn to shoot manual first. If you dont you may as well be shooting Auto.
 

PedroYoung

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
2,013
Reaction score
3,034
Location
Chelsea, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
May I suggest you learn manual mode first? Aperture mode sets your bokeh and with a macros lens you want F8 to keep everything in focus unless you are layering shots. I dont suggest a macros lens unless you are a pro and know how to use it. They are very expensive and highly technical to properly use them. You can get great pics out of a normal f2.8 glass. It might make more sense to shoot speed mode because you have flow blowing your corals and you need to stop the action. Also, you want a speed fast enough to not blur like OPs photos display. Make sure your ISO is less than 2000 with 400 or less being preferable. Again... learn to shoot manual first. If you dont you may as well be shooting Auto.
I hear what you’re saying. I‘ve worked with manual as well, I’m just trying to give some tips that helped me take better pics (including the suggestion to kill flow in the tank when shooting so you can get clearer shots with higher f-stop). I don’t think there is any “one” way, but I’ve learned lots of tips from the great folks on R2R that helped me really get better.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/posting-a-bunch-of-pics-mostly-lps-cmon-and-stay-a-while.708957/
 

salty joe

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Messages
816
Reaction score
506
Location
Medina, Oh
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Your pictures aren't bad. The constructive criticism is outstanding. I hope you guys will chime in when try my hand at coral pics.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 72 38.1%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 63 33.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.2%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
Back
Top