Best ways to use flash?

[ninjamyst]

My equipment:

 

D7000

SB600

Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro

 

Question: What's the best way to utilize a flash for photographing tank creatures? If flash is attached on the camera, it will just bounce off the tank glass and create a glare/halo. Do you put the flash OVER the tank?

[Baboolas]

no flash

[Lalani]

no flash

^This. Straight on flash will cancel all shadows and render the image flat. Also, a flash will give it a yellowish color, even if bounced from the ceiling above the tank.

[MarieH]

macro lens, tripod, no flash, bright ambient light, as from a window, widest aperture that will allow at least 1/60s exposure. A cable shutter release or remote or self timer mode, could be useful.

[Bishop]

I use flash when shooting my tank. I set up two speedlites above the tank to shoot directly into it. There is benifit to having a forward flash but it needs to be off camera as well and you have to find a position that will avoid the glare. Post Process white balance adjustments will get your colors closer to where you want them to be but it will take some deeper editing if you want the actinic look on coral to come back.

 

Using flash will give you a flawless sharp image but you sacrifice the normal lighting of the tank.

 

Here is a decent article for photographing fish, although longer than it needs to be and written for someone that just bought there very first camera that morning.

[Withers]

Has anyone tried putting a blue gel over the flash when firing it to offset the yellow hue?

[Mr. Microscope]

I use a flash occasionally when shooting fish. The color turns out a little yellow, but that can be corrected later with PS. Utilizing the flash seems to improve resolution and avoids blur from fish movement for some reason. If you have the camera angled properly, there's no reflection artifact from the aquarium glass. Keep in mind, I'm using a very cheap camera. All the above might be different for a nice DSLR.

[Ebn]

Up to you really. You can use or not use the flash but definitely use it remotely above the tank or bounce it correctly.

 

Here's a few taken with bouncing the flash taken at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

 

 

Skeleton shrimps

 

At the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach

 

 

Has anyone tried putting a blue gel over the flash when firing it to offset the yellow hue?

 

Haven't used any gels before so not sure about this.

 

I prefer to shoot without flash instead.

 

[Withers]

Yeah, I mean shooting without a flash gives great results, but usually once you introduce a flash correctly it can take your pictures to another level with the details it can capture. I was amazed at how much better my frogs shots got once I started using my flash.

 

I bet with a blue gel on it you could get some pretty realistic lighting effects out of it with the added detail from all that extra light available.

[seahorsedreams]

If you're using subtle flash to pep up a well lit shot is one thing, but unfortunately, most people use it to make up for inappropriate/inadequate lighting.

 

Flash makes for some interesting pics at times, but they don't look "right" to me, even when used correctly. Take Ebn's damsel, for example. Beautiful shot, awesome detail.... but unrealistic look/color.

[Asureef]

 

Yeah, I mean shooting without a flash gives great results, but usually once you introduce a flash correctly it can take your pictures to another level with the details it can capture. I was amazed at how much better my frogs shots got once I started using my flash.

 

I bet with a blue gel on it you could get some pretty realistic lighting effects out of it with the added detail from all that extra light available.

 

 

Yep, when utilized correctly it can bring out some wonderful details that you just can't capture with the available lighting especially something under like LEDs or T5. Not only that, but it allows you to really fine tune your lens/camera by allowing you to shoot at a higher shutter speed and really stopping down that F-stop, while at the same time keeping your ISO relatively low. Though, not all corals look good under flash, but most fish do.

 

Here's a few I did with a external flash with a softbox placed on top of the tank triggered wirelessly. Colors are about as natural as you can get if you ask me.

 

 

 

 

[Veng]

Tripod over flash when it's an option, IMHO. That being said, if you are going to use a flash, use it remote/top down. Flash attached to the camera and you are just going to get reflections off the glass.

[ninjamyst]

Yep, when utilized correctly it can bring out some wonderful details that you just can't capture with the available lighting especially something under like LEDs or T5. Not only that, but it allows you to really fine tune your lens/camera by allowing you to shoot at a higher shutter speed and really stopping down that F-stop, while at the same time keeping your ISO relatively low. Though, not all corals look good under flash, but most fish do.

 

Here's a few I did with a external flash with a softbox placed on top of the tank triggered wirelessly. Colors are about as natural as you can get if you ask me.

 

Your pictures are amazing. I am definitely going to try flash. I agree that flash will capture much more detail with extra contrast and light. Even with tripod, you can't get the details without adequate light source. How do you mount your flash on top of the tank? Do you have someone holding it for you? Is the flash pointed down toward the tank?

[Withers]

Get a wireless transmitter for the flash, they're really cheap on amazon. Then have someone hold it over the tank for you, of if your light isn't super hot just set it on there. That's how the freshwater people do it.

 

This is what I use:

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Channel-Wireless-Receiver/dp/B002W3IXZW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1377011140&sr=8-5&keywords=wireless+flash+trigger+nikon

 

ETTL mode won't work with it so you have to fire it in manual mode, but for $20 you can't beat it.

[Asureef]

Your pictures are amazing. I am definitely going to try flash. I agree that flash will capture much more detail with extra contrast and light. Even with tripod, you can't get the details without adequate light source. How do you mount your flash on top of the tank? Do you have someone holding it for you? Is the flash pointed down toward the tank?

 

Basically, I just place a Photoflex litedome on top of the tank for those shots.

[seahorsedreams]

Yep, when utilized correctly it can bring out some wonderful details that you just can't capture with the available lighting especially something under like LEDs or T5. Not only that, but it allows you to really fine tune your lens/camera by allowing you to shoot at a higher shutter speed and really stopping down that F-stop, while at the same time keeping your ISO relatively low. Though, not all corals look good under flash, but most fish do.

 

Here's a few I did with a external flash with a softbox placed on top of the tank triggered wirelessly. Colors are about as natural as you can get if you ask me.

 

But none of your specimens at that reflective color blue.