How to get a good pic of your Apistos

[Hitch]

Hi all

Not sure where this should go, but I was wondering if there are any tricks on snapping a good pic of apistos?

Granted the ones I recently got have just been placed in their tank 2 days ago so its going to take a tip for them to settle in and stuff. But right now, they are not so skittish that they go into hiding the moment I approach, its just when I pull out my cam that they go hiding.

Any tips? or is it just a matter of patience and luck.

Thanks

 

[davidjp1982]

This is good video for aquarium photography tips How to take Better Pictures of Fish in an Aquariu…:

 

[davidjp1982]

I say that as a mobile phone snapper so it might actually be rubbish - best to listen to the pros on here I guess

 

[Hitch]

Im also a mobile phone snapper myself....lol. And it looks like the grab a chair in front of the tank and site there in position is working XD.

 

[Mike Wise]

Mo Devlin (AKA Aquamojo) is one of the most experienced fish photographers out there. At last year's ACA convention he gave a talk on how to photograph cichlids: equipment, lighting, techniques, etc. He showed photos of amazing quality, but they were all of medium to larger cichlid species. I asked him why no photos of dwarfs? The basic answer was that good quality photos of small, fast fish are hard to take consistently so he doesn't usually shoot small fish. I think Dr. Paul Loiselle gave me the best answer to photographing small cichlids ages ago, "Shoot 100 slides and throw away 99".

I will say that the better the camera and lighting (natual, artificial, or strobe), the more likely you are to get decent photos. I use a DSLR camera with a zoom lens that has close focus capability (a true macro lens is not really needed) and electronic flashes that can be separated from the camera. I also find that preparation is more important for 'fish portraits', as opposed to just fish in an aquarium setting. For these I have 2½ gallon tanks set up for picture taking. I have 1 - 3 strobes situated on tripods around the tank (before the fish is even in the tank). I then take practice photos and adjust to strobes for correct location and proper exposure. The fish is then placed in the photo tank for several days in advance of picture taking, to get comfortable with its surroundings and show its colors. Then it is a process of waiting for the fish to show its best, take a lot of pictures ... and throw away 99% of the pictures as cr@p!

 

[dwarfpike]

If I get ten out of a hundred pics I'd be ecstatic, the one out of a hundred (or two hundred) seems to be closer to the norm for me.