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Tank Photography
>I'd like to take some pictures of my tank. I only have a Minolta Freedom
>Zoom 90EX that has autofocus, autoexposure and built-in flash. Is there any
>way to take decent pictures of my aquarium with this camera?
I don't know that particular camera well enough to know how it determines
focus.
>I read in the archives the following tips for amateur photography:
> Clean tank glass very thoroughly
> Shoot at night with room lights down
Off, not down, and remember to check for reflections from street lights,
TV's etc.
> Shoot at an angle if flash is used
> Use Kodak Royal Gold or Fuji Reala
My favorite fro prints is Fugi SuperG 800
For slide film, I usually use Fugi Sensia or Velvia.
>Any others? I'm wondering how the autofocus will work; seems like it would
>focus on the glass front instead of on the interior of the tank. No?
It depends on the method of focusing. Some will work, others don't My
little Pentax does sometimes, and I still haven't figured out why it will
sometimes and won't other times.
>Should I use flash? I'd like to capture fish as well as plants.
If you use flash, you'll capture the fish better, but I find that tank
shots lit from the front do not do the tank justice unless the flash is
very weak in comparison to the tank lighting. (like a fill flash for
outdoor portraits) It changes the entire look of the tank.
>What speed of film should I use?
If your shooting print film, the Fugi Super G 800 is very, very good. It
can even be pushed to 1600, though it's then too grainy for my tastes.
High speed slide film isn't as good as print film yet. The highest speed
film I _ever_ shoot with is 200, and I _much_ prefer 100. This means you
really need a tripod and time exposure, if you don't want to use a flash.
You'll get good shots of the tank, but you'll lose the fish.
These are all just starting points. The real secret to good photos of any
type is lots of film and lots of practice.<g>
Karen