A wet pet

[Ron Morse]

This guy is very friendly and always come to the front of the aquarium when he sees me coming. Not at all nervous like some.

I always like the shots of these fish to be kind of in the shadows. Others may disagree.





Oh yes -- for those that don't know this is a pirahna.

[Asher Kelman]

Ron,

As you know I always enjoy your fish for somehow they seem to show feelings, like the first one is like a modest almost introspective girl in a party that a guy think he can manage only to find he ends up completely under her control!

Still, I do find it might be much better for the head of the fish to be perfectly focused unless there's a reason not to do so. By making the scales on the side of the fish in focus, one is drawn away from the head and the purpose of these fish, predation, is not even imagined. I would still like the whole face, eyes and lips to be perfect and a swathe of scales sharp to the tail with the rest blurred to give immense power.

At least that's my approach but then perhaps I'd no longer like your pictures!

Asher

[Ron Morse]

What I always aim for is to have the eye in focus first and formost. I believe it is in both photos. The fish has no scales on its face and the face is lighter. I believe the first photo is pretty close to right. In the second it obviously has to much flash on the face. I believe both were taken at f/16 so DOF should not be a problem.
Because of where the aquarium light is on this tank it is the hardest of my tanks to get my flashes positioned where i want them for the proper lighting.

Take a close look at the first picture and see if the eye and face are not in proper focus. I believe the flash brightness at the front of the fish is causing what you see. I am really interested in what you think.

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Ron,

I have worked out what's going on. It's sharpening! There is considerable room in the images for sharpening and then it pops. It's a a matter of tasted, but your files are robust enough to sharpen a lot and also take a modest S curve.




© 2007 Ron Morse

This sharpening is just a variant that may be worth considering sometimes.

My 0.02 cents worth!

Asher

[Ron Morse]

I think that you are onto something.

I,ve been getting lazy lately Asher. I probably didn't even sharpen it. Other than cleaning up some debris in the water that is probably as it came out of the camera. I shot that I believe in Oct.

Although I have it, I couldn't find the RAW. I took the tiff, reduced exposure a tiny bit, added just a touch of contrast, sharpened it before downsizing, downsized and then sharpened again.

I think it pops now. What do you think?

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Ron,

I think that at f16 likely your are getting diffraction hiding some of the detail which sharpening can give you back. Your new image is so much more dimensional. I like it. You can with benefit shapen even more as you have good files.

How do you react to the version I made?

When you don't sharpen you re essetially throwing away a lot of real detail as one has no means to dicriminate between details. Sharpening does not creat detail, of course, but in a picture like yours, there's a lot to be seen. With a combination of selective locoregional sharpening and contrast adjustment the image can be so optimized that this will be ready to swim off or else bite off your finger!

Asher

[Arya Wiese]

My kids just love this fish - they said "WOW mom! That's a cool fish" When I told them it was a pirana my boys said "Cooool" in unison!

[Ray West]

Hi Ron, ;-)

Your efforts re sharpening have paid off. All it needs now is some bubbles out of its mouth, and the words in one saying 'Where did I leave my Bicycle?'

Best wishes,

Ray

[Ron Morse]

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

Hi Ron,

I think that at f16 likely your are getting diffraction hiding some of the detail which sharpening can give you back. Your new image is so much more dimensional. I like it. You can with benefit shapen even more as you have good files.

How do you react to the version I made?

When you don't sharpen you re essetially throwing away a lot of real detail as one has no means to dicriminate between details. Sharpening does not creat detail, of course, but in a picture like yours, there's a lot to be seen. With a combination of selective locoregional sharpening and contrast adjustment the image can be so optimized that this will be ready to swim off or else bite off your finger!

Asher

I always sharpened in the past. I don't know what has gotten into me lately. Senile??

Your version shows more detail than mine for sure. My preference to be right, I think, would be a little more than my version and a little less than yours for a natural look.

[Ron Morse]

Originally Posted by Arya Wiese

My kids just love this fish - they said "WOW mom! That's a cool fish" When I told them it was a pirana my boys said "Cooool" in unison!

Thanks Arya.

Its time to get your kids an aquarium. You can always take pictures of the fish when you need a subject.

[Ron Morse]

Originally Posted by Ray West

Hi Ron, ;-)

Your efforts re sharpening have paid off. All it needs now is some bubbles out of its mouth, and the words in one saying 'Where did I leave my Bicycle?'

Best wishes,

Ray

Thanks Ray.

Fish, bubbles and a bicycle???? Bicycle?

[Ray West]

Hi Ron,

http://www.fishonabike.com is an example.

generally the expression is used nowadays for anything that is considered useless, but use in a slightly different way than 'a chocolate teapot'.

Please note, Ron, in no way was I implying your image was useless, quite the opposite. It just came to mind since the fish's expression? looked like he was looking for something, and the only thing missing in his life must be the bike ;-)

Best wishes,

Ray

[Ron Morse]

I suppose I could look for a small bike for him.

[J.W. van den Bos]

Fantastic shots, I like aqua-photography. So can you please tell me how you have made these pictures?

Jan van den Bos

[Ron Morse]

Hi Jan. I can tell you that the most important thing in aquatic photography is getting your flash on top of the aquarium and not using the onboard flash. I use two or more flashes above the aquarium with a home made softbox.

I'm way behind in projects right now, as soon as I get caught up a little I would be willing to help you all I can.