Shrimp Life Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 I just bought the exact same camera over the holidays. My sister has it and she takes the best pictures. I also need to find out how to use it for capuring shrimp and fish. I will let you know if I get any tips that can help you at all.... DETAquarium 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokeshrimp Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Has anyone used those $10-20 macro extension tubes or telephoto lens filters for shrimp pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dluxeshrimps Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 im following this thread I need a decent camera myself. I also have a Canon DSLR. but no other attachment to take macro shot. I am totally not sure what to get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 I need some help for you Canon DSLR users. What would be my best option for a lighting source, and/or external flash? This will be my next purchase and if necessary I will put the money needed to buy a decent one. Give me your recommendations, tell me your do's and don'ts. As always, I appreciate your help! Thoughts on this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HK0A6LQ?psc=1 I want to BUMP this question, any macro photographers that can comment on this external flash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimp Life Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 I can't really help about the flash, because I haven't made it that far yet. So far I notice the issues are lighting and getting a detailed crisp closeup (macro) So I purchased a macro attachment, Its in the mail right now, so as soon as I test I'll let you know how it works. Try shooting without your flash... I never use a flash with my cellphone pics or my canon. It just looks really unnatural with the camera's flash. My tanks have t5s and leds. Also I shoot at night to avoid any glare from the sun on the glass... I am no camera expert at all, thats just what works for me so far... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Thank you for the info. Currently I have a Canon 100mm Macro Lens, but most of the time lighting is still my problem, even when my LEDs are at full potential. I want to try an external flash above the shrimp to see if it helps light up the shrimp without giving it the dull appearance as it does when the flash is forward facing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff0712 Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Thank you for the info. Currently I have a Canon 100mm Macro Lens, but most of the time lighting is still my problem, even when my LEDs are at full potential. I want to try an external flash above the shrimp to see if it helps light up the shrimp without giving it the dull appearance as it does when the flash is forward facing.I use a cheapo external flash with a cord and it really does make all the difference. Just make sure it will work with your camera . There are more expensive ones that are designed specifically for canon/Nikon but I haven't had a need to upgrade yet. The key though is the cord. It allows you to place the external flash wherever you want and directly above is best that I've found. I have a ghetto "holder" which is a piece of glass cut at lowes that I set above the tank and rest the flash on ahaha Also for the extension tube question I like them the only issues with extension tubes is you have to get physically closer to your subject and your depth of field gets shallower real fast. It is fun tho Here is an example (a picture of a picture on my camera haha) -Duffy DETAquarium and Shrimple minded 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted January 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Thanks Duff! I did quite a bit of research and fell onto the external flash linked above. It does state its compatible with my Rebel SL1. Duff0712 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadO Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I'm kind of late joining in to the thread here, but I'll offer what I've learned in my Macro photography experience. As Duff points out, having the flash on an external flash cord works really well. I have an older Canon 550EX, and I use an Off-Camera Shoe cord from Canon (2 ft length). Then, I rig up something to hold the flash above the tank, and pointing straight down from the top. I shut off any filtration so that I don't get extra water movement/reflection, then I shoot from the front. Before any of this is set up, I also make sure to clean the front glass. Shoot in RAW mode. There are a number of free or inexpensive RAW processing programs that you can use, and when using RAW, you can adjust so much after the fact. Shooting in these conditions is not easy, so any assistance - like post processing in RAW - will be super helpful. Get a hold of a tripod if you can. It's really tempting to shoot auto-focus and handheld, but that is very challenging. I use my camera on a tripod with a wired remote release so I don't have to touch the camera to take a picture. Shoot in manual mode. Play with your f stop setting as well your ISO and shutter speed. This just goes for photography in general, but once you master f stop, ISO and shutter, and how they all work together, your skills will improve immensely. This is not to suggest you're not already doing this, just stating it out there as it was one of the best ways that I could really learn how to take better pictures. Weaning myself off the auto modes (green box) and shooting in Manual has taught me a ton. Auto focus or manual focus can be tough here. Shrimp are not stationary little buggers. Trying to keep up with them and manual focusing can be a challenge. You may have more control on manual focus, but auto-focus makes life a lot easier. I tend to do mostly auto-focus and then aggressively cull out the pictures that I don't like. I'd rather take more on auto-focus and toss away than fewer in manual, and deal with the frustration. If your camera has it, set it on burst mode. I'd have to think that that Canon model will do burst in RAW mode. Shooting in burst mode helps increase your keep rate, but does add more images to evaluate, so it is a trade-off. However, I've found it to be an acceptable one. Get the eye's of the shrimp in focus. It's amazing how much an image just "pops" when the eyes are tack sharp. This really goes for all animals and people too. For some reason, we're just naturally drawn to the eyes, and if the focus is just a bit off, the image doesn't capture the attention. Finally, post your pics here along the way. I'm sure people will love to see them, and even if people don't directly comment on them, one can learn a lot by just observing other work. Also, if you haven't already, I'd suggest registering (free account) at FredMiranda.com That is a high end site with lots of good forums, one dedicated to macro photography, and they have an active For Sale forum there as well. Lots of pros on the site, so the used equipment is top notch, and a solid price. You may find used stuff cheaper elsewhere, but the stuff that I have bought off there has been flawless. I've picked up lenses as well as my 6D from there. Dluxeshrimps, Soothing Shrimp, DETAquarium and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Awesome stuff ChadO Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted January 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Fantastic input Chad! Exactly what I was looking for some tips, tricks, and suggestions. I appreciate the time you put into the answer. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadO Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 No problem, happy to help! One other tip that I left out, on my camera, and I'm sure on your Canon as well, set a single focus point, rather than letting the camera pick from the collection of focus points. If you select a specific focus point, the camera will only use that one. Then, you can use that specific point and target the shrimp with that point, and that is the only one the camera will use to focus. If the camera can pick from the full array of focus points you have, then it might decide to grab a focus point that hits the substrate, moss, a branch, etc. By dialing in and picking one point, you force it to use that one, and have greater control. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted June 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2016 Hey ShrimpSpot! So it has been a while since I took a few minutes to take some macro photos. This is the first time I have attempted to take some decent shots after purchasing my new flash. Tell me your honest opinions, thank you for all your support and help along the way. Especially a huge shout out to Kurobom. Mr. F and Kurobom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurobom Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 I didn't realize there was another thread here for shrimp macro photography until I was Googling more about it and ended up back here! My D800E just recently arrived to replace my D610, along with a simple macro head for my tripod. Because my tank is situated high up on a shelf, my tripod setup is making it difficult for me to quickly adjust the height of things to get clean shots. I'll hopefully have more time this coming weekend to experiment with a set up and I will be sure to share my experiences here. I document some stuff on my journal thread as well, and have been contributing photos in the shrimp photo thread as well. If only Chris Lukhaup will have a workshop for us to attend eh? Shrimple minded, ShrimpP and DETAquarium 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 On 6/5/2016 at 7:01 PM, DETAquarium said: Hey ShrimpSpot! So it has been a while since I took a few minutes to take some macro photos. This is the first time I have attempted to take some decent shots after purchasing my new flash. Tell me your honest opinions, thank you for all your support and help along the way. Especially a huge shout out to Kurobom. Those are some beautiful shots DET. DETAquarium 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurobom Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 Hi folks, rather than retype what I have in my journal thread, I thought I'd just share the link here: This update is specific to my recent experiences using my D800E with a macro head on my tripod. Enjoy! DETAquarium 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff0712 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 On 6/10/2016 at 11:57 AM, Kurobom said: I didn't realize there was another thread here for shrimp macro photography until I was Googling more about it and ended up back here! My D800E just recently arrived to replace my D610, along with a simple macro head for my tripod. Because my tank is situated high up on a shelf, my tripod setup is making it difficult for me to quickly adjust the height of things to get clean shots. I'll hopefully have more time this coming weekend to experiment with a set up and I will be sure to share my experiences here. I document some stuff on my journal thread as well, and have been contributing photos in the shrimp photo thread as well. If only Chris Lukhaup will have a workshop for us to attend eh? Going off of the small amount I've read from your Shrimp Chronicle (I'll read it in full when I get home). Since you're having issues with setting up tripods for shots (WHY WON'T THEY HOLD STILL) how much have you tried shooting handheld? Also as a side note, if those are what I think they are above your tank, I like the external flash set-up! Kurobom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurobom Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 9 hours ago, Duff0712 said: Going off of the small amount I've read from your Shrimp Chronicle (I'll read it in full when I get home). Since you're having issues with setting up tripods for shots (WHY WON'T THEY HOLD STILL) how much have you tried shooting handheld? Also as a side note, if those are what I think they are above your tank, I like the external flash set-up! Thanks Duff! All my shots from before the D800E were handheld. I'll probably be switching back and forth now between tripod and handheld, as there are some interesting things the shrimp are doing while I'm trying to tripod one on one side of the tank. The keeper rate is much lower though... need to work on those arm muscles more lol Duff0712 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted June 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 I initially attempted using a tripod but I have found it so much more easy to just hold the camera. Duff0712 and Kurobom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurobom Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 Hi everyone! I hope you've all been doing well, as I haven't posted here in a while! I recently did a submission on Photography Life on doing shrimp macro photography, and they decided to publish it: https://photographylife.com/aquarium-macro-photography-of-ornamental-shrimp ruuuey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 WOW Awesome stuff Kuro! Well done. Kurobom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted August 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Very well done my friend and Congratulations! Now I see where you have been hiding:) Kurobom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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