Aquarium Shooting.

[Kan Win]

Aquarium Shooting.

Using No Flash. Advice need.

Now since we have in BKK Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon, I need some advise on how best to take photos, since it will cost me the entrance fee 450 odd baht.

I took some photo a few years ago in Phuket and then last year with two different models of Olympus cameras.

http://www.pbase.com/win13/aquarium__phuket

Equipment on hand, camera, tripod, remote control, spare battery and cards, enough storage space for say 200 to 250 photos on SHQ. LapTop also available.

Range f2.4 to F8.0, ISO 50 up to 400, Speed 15 seconds to 1/4000th of a second, manual mode plus all the other modes.

Any advise from you all ? would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Happy Shooting

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[britmaveric]

Polarizing filter? (need smth to not capture the reflection from the glass)

[Kan Win]

britmaveric, Thank you.

Forgot, I have one also. And a wide angle lens as well, but Kan not zoom in with that one on.

But, what about the camera settings to capture the moving fish ? any advice ? please

Happy Shooting

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[astral]

I shot this one at the university aquarium in Bang Saen.

I was using my trusty Canon 10D with a 28-70mm lens

The exposure was 1/200th an f6.7, using the camera's builtin flash.

I kept really close to the glass to avoid reflections.

I think flash is essential to avoid slow shutter speeds or a fast film setting.

The fish do not sit and pose for you!!

I will try to get this photo and a few others into an album and let you know the details.

Edited January 3, 2006 by astral

[hughden]

Took these two without a flash in Singapore, but then seahorses do not move very quickly and the tank was reasonably well lit. Even so, shutter speed was 1/30 and I used ISO 1600. Still plagued by dirty and scratched glass (and I did not have a polariser); and the water bubbles added more noise. Maybe Photoshop can improve them.

Solution: Get a waterproof housing and dive in!

[tuky]

Now since we have in BKK Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon, I need some advise on how best to take photos, since it will cost me the entrance fee 450 odd baht.

Is that true? there is an underwater world at Siam Paragon?

[BambinA]

Now since we have in BKK Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon, I need some advise on how best to take photos, since it will cost me the entrance fee 450 odd baht.

Is that true? there is an underwater world at Siam Paragon?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

its true.. but u guys 'd go there after Feb 2006.. it will be complete with varity aquatic animal

i went to The Paragon, but not underwater world yet , i will go there on March

[Kan Win]

Oceanis Australia Pty Ltd is the world’s largest aquarium owner and operator (by number of customers and volume of displays). The Group owns and operates aquarium in Melbourne, Mooloolaba, Busan (South Korea) and Shanghai. In addition Oceanis has commenced construction of an aquarium in Bangkok which it will own and operate on completion in December 2005. (Now Open) It has recently signed a management contract to design, build and manage a E85M aquarium for a public-private partnership in Paris and a similar agreement for the world’s biggest Oceanarium in Dubai Mall which will open mid 2007.

Their Webpage below

http://www.sow.champ.co.th/

Take the Family there "tuky"

Happy Shooting

Yours truly,

Kan Win

P.S. Someone did post a few photos in the TV Gallery BTW

[xty]

Now since we have in BKK Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon, I need some advise on how best to take photos, since it will cost me the entrance fee 450 odd baht.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Since you never been there, better ask someone who has. At least to ask the environment, position, and ambience light condition (bright, dim, etc). Never been to Siam Paragon but I assume it will be dark/dim as other Sea Worlds.

In that case you can prepare before. And at the place make sure you:

- don't use polariser which will make 2 stops down on exposure

- select the best position to avoid reflection/glare on the glass

- use fast lens (for SLR/DSLR) and big aperture (f/1.8-2.8) to compensate dark/dim ambience and fast moving fish (need faster shutter, 1/125 should be OK)

- use tripod if allowed

- use RAW format (if your camera support) or set white balance to TL to compensate blue/green color cast of water (to add more red/yellow)

- don't use flash which can reflect on the glass (assume the light to the tank is enough), unless you position your camera on or very near to the glass

Hope these help.

[Chang_paarp]

OP you did not say if you were using an SLR or a point and shoot (high or low end) I will assume you have some control over focus and exposure.

1) colour temperature of these places is very changable, the further you are away from the "white light" the more of the red end of the spectrum you will loose. Auto colour balance can help here, beware of shooting up towards the lights, it can give some very creative effects you may not expect. Otherwise chose the "blue light" option. You can check this before you go by playing with the settings in daylight some images will come out blue, like the old holywood movies trying to night, this is for red light like bulbs. Some photos will come out red, this is the option for underwater. Most underwater photos you see are taken with one, usually 2 or more flashes, aimed at the fosus point.

2) Focus: point and shoot models use IR focusing and these get confused by the glass, so some contol over focus helps. Just make sure you are getting a sharp image before pressing the shutter. As previously suggested get the lens as clos as possible to the glass. Just think of the glass as another filter, and hope it is clean on both sides. If you do not have any control over the focusing try the scenery mode, it is infinity focus and will fusus past the glass. SLR's are easier here because what you see is what you get.

3) Light: the light levels in these tanks are typically pretty low, so you are using slow shutter speeds on animals. Using a "fast speed" option can work but you pay the price in greater noise or grain.

4) Flash can help. If you can remove the flash from your camera and keep it pointing where you want you can get some good images. The hot spot is kept out of the frame this way. The trouble is most of these places use a round tunnel so you will be bouncing light every where. Also remember that the light will "bend" going into the water, so set the flash on the wide angle setting to cover the area. I have seen some surprisingly good impage from disposable cameras with flash taken in aquariums, more through good luck than design.

5) Crowds; good luck dealing with part of the equation. Many people are not so receptive to the keen photographer in confined spaces. It may be worth waiting for the "look it is new" rush to reduce. Also check with the place that they will let you use a tripod, it is a big no-no in some places, they consider you a professional photographer and want you to sign all sorts of forms, pay huge fees and leave you first born as a security deposit.

Having taken all the advise from this thread, go have an interesting outing and create some fun images.

[penzman]

If you have to use a flash, try shooting from a slight angle to avoid the light bouncing back into the lens.

[Kan Win]

Thank you all for your input and enlightenment on this subject. Will try these methods and see how the photos come out before going there. I have a place where they have 4 fish tanks so I Kan practice what you all preach.

Thank you all once again.

Happy Shooting,

Yours truly,

Kan Win

P.S. I have a DSLR, Olympus 8080.

[xty]

P.S. I have a DSLR, Olympus 8080.

IMHO, Olympus 8080 is not DSLR camera (interchangeable lens, mirror+pentaprism), it's a digital prosumer or slr-style camera. It means advanced/professional consumer camera which shape like (D)SLR. Olympus E1 & E300 are DSLR, as well as Canon 20D/350D, Nikon D50/D70s, KonicaMinolta D7D, D5D, etc.

[Old Croc]

Took these two without a flash in Singapore, but then seahorses do not move very quickly and the tank was reasonably well lit. Even so, shutter speed was 1/30 and I used ISO 1600. Still plagued by dirty and scratched glass (and I did not have a polariser); and the water bubbles added more noise. Maybe Photoshop can improve them.

Solution: Get a waterproof housing and dive in!

Beautiful shots of SeaDragons Hughden!

[hughden]

I stand corrected, thanks!

[Nordlys]

Here are pictures of jellyfish from Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon.

All pictures shot at ISO800.

Shutter speed at 1/160 - 1/100, F stop 3.5 - 5.6.

Retouched with Photoshop (cropping, stamp tool, unsharp mask, etc.).

Camera: Canon EOS 5D

Lens: 24-70mm F/2.8

You should try going there on weekday. It was really desserted this past Tuesday evening. The most difficult part I found was avoinding to get get the scratch on glass in the frame and following the movement. High ISO helps if you have a digicam with large sensor. My lens combined with 5D is super fast to focus which also helped albeit shutter lag which is known to be slower than 20D/350D.

[hughden]

Cool shot! Did you use a tripod or don't they allow such things. I was in Paragon yesterday but did not have my camera. Didn't have my cheque book (or the funds) either or I could have bought a very smart Ferrari!

[Nordlys]

No tripod or flash used. You can't get close enough to the tank and follow their movement with tripod. Although I shot them at ISO800, there was enough lighting in the jelly fish tank that you could use fast enough shutter speed to freeze their motion.

[Kan Win]

Nice Shots Nordlys

Thank you for sharing these.

Is Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon complete now ? and Kan I take a tripod in ? as my hands are not that stable in Low Light.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[Nordlys]

Hi KanWin,

Yes, the acquarium looked to me like it was fully furnished. No empty tank nor anything under construction.

But frankly I was a bit disappointed with rather small scale of the acquarium for such a big pre-opening publicity. I have seen about 5 acquariums in Japan all of which are more than ten years old and also one big one in Monterey/Carmel, California but SOW didn't come on par with any of them. But it may not be fair to compare with US and Japanese acquariums.

I didn't ask if I could bring in a tripod but you probably don't have a problem if you carry it in a bag and use it when desserted on weekdays. But like I said, you can't get close enough to the glass and follow the movement with a tripod, so I suggest you use monopod if you have one.

[ScubaDuc]

Nice Shots Nordlys

Thank you for sharing these.

Is Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon complete now ? and Kan I take a tripod in ? as my hands are not that stable in Low Light.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

The previous poster suggesting no flash is correct, I have taken pictures in Monaco, Cape town, Waikiki, etc; but I seem to have better results with using the camera function of the videocamera because the lens is stabilized. If you use a digital SRL and have money to spend, get a VR lens (Nikon): Those will allow to shoot free handed at 1/30 no probs, otherwise you need a really fast lens (1.4 or 1.2). Flash will reflect from the glass and mostly, as any diver can tell you, from particles suspended in the water

If I ever figure out how to post a pic, I will include a few examples. Another way is to get a camera in a housing and take pictures in the water as some places offer dives in the tanks (Orlando & cape town). This was taken underwater in Hawaii (not in the aquarium, though) with a cheap Nikon coolpix in a fantasea housing

Edit: Ah, It works...

Edited February 22, 2006 by ScubaDuc