Would you pay for a Professional Reef Tank Photographer to come to your house?

Would you ever consider paying a professional to come take photos of your reef aquarium?

  • Yes if the price was right

    Votes: 104 22.7%
  • No I take good enough photos

    Votes: 205 44.8%
  • No I don't care about tank photos

    Votes: 109 23.8%
  • I am a professional photographer

    Votes: 16 3.5%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 24 5.2%

  • Total voters
    458

SuncrestReef

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I'm pretty happy with the results from my Nikon D610 camera with a 200mm f/4 macro lens. It's way overkill and a beast to handle, but it takes some amazing shots. I am not a professional photographer, but I spent a couple weeks reading tutorials and watching videos on how to best use a macro lens. These photos are straight from the camera with absolutely zero Photoshop editing:

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


Here's the camera, lens, and a custom-ordered extra-long porthole tube from Avast Marine:
IMG_6215.jpg



IMG_6222.jpg
 

D4jack

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My daughter has a nikon d350 or something like that. (I payed for it) She is taking classes at college. (I'm paying for it) So I am spending a small fortune on professional photography as far as I'm concerned!
20200404_141722.jpg
 

Suzey19

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No I would not pay someone to take pictures of the creatures in my tank. I think I can handle it just fine. However if someone wants to hire me.. Sure.. I’ll shoot your livestock.

42CCB36D-F24A-4A26-B3B6-13C64E017C95.jpeg

70E09BF1-D57B-4723-8763-78601E750F50.jpeg

7A838C0D-5791-4D3C-8594-4967F3DB8531.jpeg

610803A5-A3DB-4B30-AD7C-9C2D1461438B.jpeg

EF875046-DD4C-48A9-BDD1-26027EC1723B.jpeg
Wow what camera are you using ?
 

Suzey19

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I'm pretty happy with the results from my Nikon D610 camera with a 200mm f/4 macro lens. It's way overkill and a beast to handle, but it takes some amazing shots. I am not a professional photographer, but I spent a couple weeks reading tutorials and watching videos on how to best use a macro lens. These photos are straight from the camera with absolutely zero Photoshop editing:

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


Here's the camera, lens, and a custom-ordered extra-long porthole tube from Avast Marine:
IMG_6215.jpg



IMG_6222.jpg
You certainly are a professional photographer. Those photos are amazing. I’m going to get one of those tube things and dust off my old SLR !!!
 

Dj City

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Would you pay for a Professional Reef Tank Photographer to come to your house?​


Ain't no way in creation would I pay someone to take professional pictures of my reef "in my house".

I live there. The tank is in my living room. I get to see it everyday.

My reef is for ME!
My personal slice of the ocean. My personal enjoyment.

It's nice when others like pics I post on my build thread but my reef is for me and my enjoyment and satisfaction. Not facebook. Not Instagram.

I choose other because I think I take decent enough pics. Not professional by any stretch of the imagination but then again, I don't need to be.

The reef is for me.
Not social media.
 

kutcha

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I have a DSLR at home with macro lens I enjoy figuring out all the settings and my wife has been wanting to take a photography class for fun so it is a win win for us.
 

ThRoewer

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Why would I want to take pictures of that trainwreck? Corals are dead or dying and GHA everywhere...
But the fish are happy in their filth and spawn like crazy, so everything is fine.
 

DxMarinefish

GazuntaiReef
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I sometimes take tank shots to help me understand where my reef was over time, but I prefer videos. I have even started to take short 1 minute videos as preference to tank shot because I see more of a journey while looking at these than static shots.

There are too many photos that are further processed and provide a false sense of achievement.

Videos show life and the dynamics of a reef no photo can show.
 

Tamberav

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No... I have no plans to put pics of my corals in my wallet and show them off to my coworkers as if they were my children.
 

rgulrich

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GORGEOUS!!!!!! I have to ask...What kind of acro is in that bottom picture? Whatever it is, I want one! :D
@Steph72 -
The bottom pic is of an Acropora valida - a tri-color variant.
Started from a 1 1/2-2" frag. Grown out and fragged out a number of times. Been with this reef about 7-8 years.
It's an "old-school" Acropora that I kinda like as well. You should be able to find them on a number of sites out there.
Cheers,
Ray
 

Calm Blue Ocean

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I used to show horses and getting pro pictures was always a big deal. Professionals are just always better at getting the right angles and making bad things look good. Pictures were also a big part of promoting yourself on the show circuit so getting a picture that made you look national quality was good for bragging rights. Thanks to professional photographers I'll always be able to pretend I was something I wasn't. ;Hilarious

As for my tank. Well, if I had something worth taking a picture of...just kidding. I love my tank inhabitants and try to get good pictures of them when I can.

I think if I was trying to use my tank for some sort of promotion...selling frags or fish or something, I'd get a pro. But for my own enjoyment I'm fine with my feeble attempts at photography.

For me, the biggest challenge is getting things in focus. When you get close enough to see all the neat details it's hard to hold still and my phone just gives up.
 

Steph72

Tang Mom
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@Steph72 -
The bottom pic is of an Acropora valida - a tri-color variant.
Started from a 1 1/2-2" frag. Grown out and fragged out a number of times. Been with this reef about 7-8 years.
It's an "old-school" Acropora that I kinda like as well. You should be able to find them on a number of sites out there.
Cheers,
Ray
Thanks so much! I’m going to search for them tonight...yours is stunning
 

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: 73 37.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.2%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.5%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
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