painting the volitan

[peeperita]

Revisiting my favorite critter, the lionfish, I got this image today.....technically, it was okay by me......i liked the exposure, the fish's placement.....and that he was a decently in focus subject......what I wasn't so happy with was how he blended into the background coral and generally how blah the scene felt with it's browns and blacks and not much else......

before:


after:



bringing the coral down was fairly simple......just dabbing at it with the burn tool till it started losing exposure and began to shrink away from my buddy.....

I then decided it was time to toy with his color.....although the coral behind him was pulling away nicely, the fish still blended too well color-wise.....i guess that's good if you're a fish.....but, it was unappealing to me on this rainy saturday....

I placed a high pass layer on the top of the background and began to sandwich in layers of little daubs of blues, oranges, yellows, and reds over different parts of his body until he really lifted off the background.....these layers I set to various blending modes...

I know it's not perfect, but I did do what I set out to......give the scene some interest and separation.....it's nowhere near his natural coloring, but, I kinda like it....

did I go too far?


peeper

[dbevisjr]

Well, I think it looks good. May I ask how you go about getting photos with no glare on the aquarium glass? I live only an hour from SeaWorld and have had a season pass for several years. Would love to get some photos in the shark tank but the glare is tough to avoid.

[Nik_Can Lady52]

Excellent PP here.

Get up close and gently put the lens right up to the glass using a wide angle lens. No lens hood, right up to the glass. The lens with it's minimum focus distance has less chance to pick up on and focus on any imperfections like, glare, reflections and fingerprints off the glass. The wide angle lens is essentially going to be incapable of focusing on surface of the glass.

Removing the circular polarizer will help increase shutter speed.

Like any shooting, you want to get areas of the aquarium with the better light. Being patient and waiting for fish to swim by those spots will do the trick. Also, shooting the sea life as it passes closer to the glass is best for clarity and details. Any further into the tank and the possibility for crisp details gradually fades.

If needed, the usual techniques for getting a faster shutter speed apply. That includes using a higher ISO and slightly lowering the EV (Exposure Value Compensation). With advanced shooting modes, if available to you, you'd consider Aperture Priority and the lowest f-number possible assuming the light is not very bright in these kinds venues.

Hope this helps you.

[peeperita]

Originally Posted by dbevisjr

Well, I think it looks good. May I ask how you go about getting photos with no glare on the aquarium glass? I live only an hour from SeaWorld and have had a season pass for several years. Would love to get some photos in the shark tank but the glare is tough to avoid.

a season's pass would be a dream come true for me.....

a public aquarium is much more challenging to shoot than one in the home...you have no control over the lighting.....lighting is poor and flash is usually prohibited.....and most places respectfully request that you do not place your camera against the glass.....

.along with the tips already provided by lady, i dug up two really good links

this first one is all about your end of things.....high iso's.....faster shutter speeds.....wide angle lenses...and the inevitable editing....

How to: Photograph A Public Aquarium » - Arkansas Photographer Greg Disch

this second link is from the aquarium's perspective and can be a real eye opener....

Taking Photos at an Aquarium Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

peeper

[Glayva]

I think you have done an excellent job on this shot. Your PS is just about right and not overdone in anyway. The fish seems to blend perfectly with the background and the whole image looks very natural. Well done and thanks for sharing

[dbevisjr]

Originally Posted by peeperita

a season's pass would be a dream come true for me.....

a public aquarium is much more challenging to shoot than one in the home...you have no control over the lighting.....lighting is poor and flash is usually prohibited.....and most places respectfully request that you do not place your camera against the glass.....

.along with the tips already provided by lady, i dug up two really good links

this first one is all about your end of things.....high iso's.....faster shutter speeds.....wide angle lenses...and the inevitable editing....

How to: Photograph A Public Aquarium » - Arkansas Photographer Greg Disch

this second link is from the aquarium's perspective and can be a real eye opener....

Taking Photos at an Aquarium Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

peeper

Thank you both (peeper and Lady) for the information.

[Beccavo]

Great job! Love it

[peeperita]

thanks very much for your interest everyone.....

and, dbevisjr, please make sure i am aware of what you've decided to shoot....i'd love to see what you'll come up with.....

peeper