Clown Trigger

[Rich Steel]

Hi

I first started my photography with captive fish in public aquaria and in my own African cichlid tanks at home. This is actually quite a technical pursuit with various flash set-ups being used at home and also not that straight foward in public aquaria due to various constraints. I am not sure if captive fish are allowed on this forum but thought I would post one of a clown trigger taken at the Birmingham Sea Life Centre taken about 3 years ago . If any one ever wants any help with technique for photographing fish in tanks or public aquaria then just drop me a line.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/squidfish_2006/trigger.jpg

Taken with 20D and 50mm F1.8 lens, hand held. Manual exposure at ISO 200 F5 at 1/80s. Taken with angled diffused flash.

Cheers

Rich

[Bruce Enns]

Hey Rich, very nicely exposed and I like the diagonal and the eye contact...these guys are tricky and you've done a nice job here. I find the bright blue, yellow and red in the background quite distracting though, maybe it could be selectively toned down and or desaturated a bit to emphasize the clown a bit more.

Cheers!
Bruce

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Nice composition. Exposure is also good. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Rich

The clown trigger was the most often sought out fish in aquariums in the 70s !!! I think you had to order three or more in hopes one would make it ... and back then there were around tree hundred each !!!

I got to photograph on in the Solomons at Mary Island It was a exciting just sighting one !!! One impressive capture !!! Big Congrats and thanks for posting !!!!

[Sid Garige]

Excellent details. Would be interesting to know how you that even distribution of light.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

WHat an awesom image, captive or not. I like it, thanks for sharing.

BTW, Al, in my diving days I often collected tropical fishes from Sydney waters, including juvenile Clown Triggerfish for my marine tank. :D

[Rich Steel]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the delay in responding but I have been out photographing puffins :). Sid you asked about the even distribution of light. I have taken many photographs in public aquariums which are always tricky, especially with the very thick perspex or glass usually used on the tanks. The first problem is reflection so you need to position yourself so you get none. Ideally you get the lens hood right up on the glass, if not you need to shoot with the camera angled very slightly down towards the subject. Fish are naturally lit from above so you need to get the light above the fish. For the flash (you need to check you can use one!), I use a flash mounted on top of the camera with the head angled upwards with a stofen diffuer. This provides light from above and also some fill for the sides all in one go.

If you are photographing fish in your own tank then ideally you need two flashes and a remote trigger. The first diffused flash is placed on the top of the tank at the front angled slightly backwards. The second diffused flash is at reduced power at the front of the tank and carefully positioned to provide some fill light.

Cheers

Rich

[Jay Gould]

Hey Rich, welcome to the Wildlife UW forum ;) :D.

Lovely image - matters not to me that it was in an aquarium.

Look forward to seeing some of your images on the Macro UW forum too ;) :D.

Cheers, Jay