# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Updated photos



## Ploppy (Feb 2, 2003)

These are some photos I took to try and determine whether the photo function on my new digital video camera is any good. They are not all 100% clear. I am vaguely considering trying the tank for the AGA comp if I can get it looking a bit better but it is hard to view my own tank objectively. What do you guys think? Any suggestions welcome.

tank update


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## Ploppy (Feb 2, 2003)

These are some photos I took to try and determine whether the photo function on my new digital video camera is any good. They are not all 100% clear. I am vaguely considering trying the tank for the AGA comp if I can get it looking a bit better but it is hard to view my own tank objectively. What do you guys think? Any suggestions welcome.

tank update


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## tsunami06 (Feb 6, 2003)

One thing I would recommend is to improve the
quality of your photos. Last year, my photo
was so blurry that one of the judges commented
that the layout was hard to judge.

I like your tank for it's organized variety
of textures and colors. There are lots of 
species in that tank, but you manage to keep
them organized in a way that keeps the tank
looking like a jungle. 

One thing I find lacking is a sense of depth.
You can create a sense of depth by trying to
open up a space in your tank like for example
between the Hydrocotyle and the red stem plant
(Alternanthera?). Also, I think the Hydrocotyle
is misplaced in that aquascape. The leaves
are way too large, ruining the sense of depth
in the middle region of the tank. I would move
it to the front and into a corner.

Hope this helps,

Carlos

-------------------------
"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." -- Van Gogh


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2003)

Ploppy,

- What kind of camera do you use ?
- What settings ?

I will copy this topic to Photography Workshop. We will try to walk you through there. 

This section of the forum is for "showing off" the pictures.


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## George Willms (Jul 28, 2004)

I agree with moving the hydrocotyle. To the left corner I think would be good.

George

Tank specs in profile


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## Ploppy (Feb 2, 2003)

Thanks for the feedback guys.









Carlos, I agree about the lack of depth to the tank. A major problem with that is that the tank is actually extremely narrow. It's only 4 foot by 14 inches so it doesn't have much depth. I also suffer from the, "I can squeeze that fantastic plant I just found in there somewhere" syndrome. I'll try moving the Hydrocotyle to the front left corner and open up the tank through the cabomba at bit.

Jay, my camera is a Canon MV 530i digital video camera which also has a seprate photo function using a digital card. I only just got it and don't really know how to get the best use out of it yet. The posted photos were basically just to test the camera and because the tank was looking good at the time. I not even sure if the photo capacity of the camera might just be too limited for quality tank photos.

For the posted photos I was simply using the automatic settings. I know that shutter speed, exposure etc. can be changed but I haven't tried playing with the settings yet.

I found that the photos were OK for close up shots but that the further I moved back from the tank the harder it was to keep everything in the tank in focus. For the full tank shot I must have taken 20 shots and the posted one is the clearest.

Any help you can give will be much appreciated.


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2003)

Ploppy,

Personally, I'm not a big fan of digital video cameras when it comes to photography. Never used one so I can't really help you there. 
Read the manuals and take advantage of all the options available. Judges are looking for quality of the pictures when judging. Look at some of the AGA comments. Its hard to judge the pictures when its uncleared. 

Good luck and report back.


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## rudedog (Feb 6, 2003)

Hi Ploppy - I too have a mv530i and to be honest the pictures just don't cut the mustard. Its only got a 500k CCD which is pretty bad as far as digi cams go (the very cheap ones usually start at about 1mega pixel). I suppose the mv530i would suffice if you had nothing else available to take pictures with. The only plus point about it is it seems to be able to freeze motion very well while still allowing enough light in to correctly expose a picture (which is handy for tank shots).

Rob


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## Ploppy (Feb 2, 2003)

Hey Rob

I have been experimenting with different settings over the weekend and although I have got the photos looking a bit better through setting the shutter speed to 1:250 and using the "spotlight" setting I agree that it doesn't cut the mustard for competition quality shots







I think if I decide to enter the AGA I will have to borrow a better camera.


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