Wackytpt Newbie Shots of C. duplicareus, C. hastatus & L144

[Wackytpt]

Finally gotten my own Canon 100mm Marco Len.

The following are some of my shots.

C Duplicareus





C. Hastatus



L144











Feel free to comment.

Enjoy.

Cheers

[genes]

Haaa... you beat me to it! I've been wanting to shoot the L144 but lazy. Nice pictures! Did you notice that the eyes of the L144 are actually dark reddish in color?

[soltari007]

very nice and clear shots bro! cory shots are not easy to take, they keep moving.

[Wackytpt]

This one above is from C328.

These are one from the taiwan batch.

Didn't realise it was injuired





Both doesn't look blue eye to me.

I am still not happy with the shot. Think there is areas for improvement.

Care to point out?

Samuel,

I sat like 1 hr plus to shoot them.

Shot over 50 shots and these shots only make it.

[stormhawk]

A little out of focus in some shots. More lighting might help. The shot of the hastatus is very nice, except for the specks of dirt around it.

[genes]

The area around the iris is bluish under certain light reflections. Hence the "blue eye" by the exporters. Other then the BEC, BES and L46. I do not think there are anymore known blue eyes plecos.

[StanChung]

Finally gotten my own Cannon 100mm Marco Len.

Nicky, so you took out your 'Cannon' and used it! haha.

Are you using flash? I think flash gives you more options. especially more depth of field and 'freezing power'.
Nicer to shoot them in action rather than just lying around.

Did you notice that the eyes of the L144 are actually dark reddish in color?

Genes-I think the pleco retina colour is red like in humans. I shot some real close up of L134 and even discus that is deep red when the flash gets a little too direct. They don't have iris so anti-red eye flashing doesn't work.

[celticfish]

nic, DOF needs to be wider so the whole fish, if possible, can be in focus.
If you cannot keep the whole fish in focus make sure the eyes at least are in focus.
Helps give perception the fish is in focus.
Didn't you go to benny's photography workshops?!!

Wah, nic's got a CANNON!!
WAHAHAHA!!! Good one stan!

genes,
I think there is one more but I cannot recall the L-number (called "rusty"?).
It looks like a L95 in body shape but it has a overall reddish brown body colour.
I recall seeing some at C328 but I don't know if they are still available.

[mobile2007]

Just like to ask the experts here, where do you position your flash? On the camera itself, through a cable/remote and on top of tank or otherwise ?

[Wackytpt]

A little out of focus in some shots. More lighting might help. The shot of the hastatus is very nice, except for the specks of dirt around it.

Thanks

Nicky, so you took out your 'Cannon' and used it! haha.

Are you using flash? I think flash gives you more options. especially more depth of field and 'freezing power'.
Nicer to shoot them in action rather than just lying around.


Genes-I think the pleco retina colour is red like in humans. I shot some real close up of L134 and even discus that is deep red when the flash gets a little too direct. They don't have iris so anti-red eye flashing doesn't work.

Hi Stan, I tried using 2 flashes. Erm.... What you mean by more depth of field and freezing power?

nic, DOF needs to be wider so the whole fish, if possible, can be in focus.
If you cannot keep the whole fish in focus make sure the eyes at least are in focus.
Helps give perception the fish is in focus.
Didn't you go to benny's photography workshops?!!

Wah, nic's got a CANNON!!
WAHAHAHA!!! Good one stan!

genes,
I think there is one more but I cannot recall the L-number (called "rusty"?).
It looks like a L95 in body shape but it has a overall reddish brown body colour.
I recall seeing some at C328 but I don't know if they are still available.

Celticfish,

Typo error on the brand. This also must catch me. =(

I always have the problem with getting the eyes in focus.

I did went for the photo workshop.

First try on trying to shoot fishes and kena suan by you.

Next time shoot I don't post liao....

Haha....

One of the weekend, we shoot together? Then you show me the pointers okie?

[grey_fox]

Ask you go shoot macro you aeroplane me twice. Come come with me and billy to practice more leh...

[celticfish]

DOF widens when you make the aperture smaller (i.e. increase f-stop).
Widen meaning the "band of area" increases from your focus point.
This means more of the subject is in focus.

When the aperture gets smaller you need more time for exposure.
This means you either decrease the shutter speed or you get more light with a flash as stan suggested.


mobil2007,
Usually the flash is not mounted on the camera.
This will cause the hotspot in all your pictures as the flash is reflected back from the tank glass.
I believe most of us use a wireless flash trigger.
This allows the use of more than one flash.
The traditional hotshoe wire method still limited you to one unless you have other flash set as slaves.

[celticfish]

Ask you go shoot macro you aeroplane me twice. Come come with me and billy to practice more leh...

What? Nic aeroplane you?!?
Forgive him lah.
He's just NATO sometimes...

How's your "secret project" coming along?

[Wackytpt]

Ask you go shoot macro you aeroplane me twice. Come come with me and billy to practice more leh...

One was overslept. The other was miscommunication leh...

Wah liew....

Post here all arrows come...

DOF widens when you make the aperture smaller (i.e. increase f-stop).
Widen meaning the "band of area" increases from your focus point.
This means more of the subject is in focus.

When the aperture gets smaller you need more time for exposure.
This means you either decrease the shutter speed or you get more light with a flash as stan suggested.


mobil2007,
Usually the flash is not mounted on the camera.
This will cause the hotspot in all your pictures as the flash is reflected back from the tank glass.
I believe most of us use a wireless flash trigger.
This allows the use of more than one flash.
The traditional hotshoe wire method still limited you to one unless you have other flash set as slaves.

I still trying to figure that one.

Aaron "aeroplane" his secret project already... Wahahaha...

Now he is under the spell of Billy =p

Is it all my pictures cannot make it?

[celticfish]

First basics also not done...
Clean outside of glass!
The first two pictures have lots of fibre...

Clean inside of glass.
This ones need some time planning for your filter to clear the stuff you scrape off.
Remember why some people pay good money for the diatom type filters?
"polish" water!

Also suspect you are shooting at an oblique angle to the tank glass.
This might be the real cause of the "out of focus" look.

The rest you need to ask unca Choy.
I merely regurgitated what I recall from benny and him.

[Goondoo]

Don't get me started
Apologize immediately else thou shall fall into a endless pit.....

[StanChung]

Mobile- glass is reflective, we always try to get the flash off camera via cable or remote.
Slaving the one over the tank and having another flash on the camera to trigger [pointing up and shielded from the glass with some card] is one of the quick ways.


Nick, nick, nick, it's a fact of life, familiarity breeds 'suanning'.

The points Irwin made are good to go.
Some points to add. Shutter speed-set to the highest sync speed to cut out ambient light motion blur. Go for manual focus to get the eyes if the fella likes to shove it's face into the glass. If AF,set AF area focus to middle and crop your picture as necessary if the whipper snapper is really fast-use continuous focus for this. If the fella is slow then use single shot focus to focus the reframe it. Sorry I'm not there to show how it's done but maybe Aaron can help.

To get good shots you need to set it up. This means making a nice backdrop, using food or someone to entice them there etc. If you're lucky you'll get a really good shot. There's no ordering fishes to do what they don't want except scaring them for a shoaling shot. Some like goldies are really dumb so different challenges there I think!

One more thing-filter off or you'll find a lot of flying bubbles in your shot.
There's a lot I have to learn as well so as starting point now just go out and shoot, shoot, shoot! Looking at my camera counter I think the sensor is going to expire soon! Shoot your subjects in action and get some of the background in-

For example C. duplicareus-


You need some skill in removing dirt post wise in your shots since you didn't clean the tank beforehand. Heal in PS is easy enough to use.

[ranmasatome]

nick.. as mentioned some of the shots are soft. Celtic and Stan already mentioned a lot liao...so i have nothing to say except that i'm glad you're finally shooting. Dont get discouraged if they aren't so good at the start.. sooner or later if you keep shooting and getting advise.. you'll get good. One thing i learnt when shooting macro... get a focus then move your body.. dont re-focus the lense..i mean you can la.. but i think its easier and much faster to just move your body.. in/out left right... and get a good focus that way. Get a good straight forward body shot then hold breath and squeeze off.

[genes]

It has definitely improved from the time i was shooting with you at Biotope AMK. Shoot more and you will improve. I notice you always tend to fire off afew series, then stop for many many months. Then fire off again. Must be more consistent in the beginning so that you will not forget the basics...

[Wackytpt]

Will try again.