New to DSLR(and this site!) and need help with lighting.

[Dispatch273]

Hey everyone! I'm new to this site and to the world of DSLR. I recently bought a used Nikon D50 as my first DSLR. I primarily use it to take pictures of my fish. The problem I'm having is that my pictures come out kind of dark even with the ISO high and a fast shutter speed. I've heard people talk about "slave" flashes and am wondering which one I should buy and where to buy it, also how to use it . I love my camera and taking pictures and am pretty happy with what I've gotten so far. Any help is greatly appreciated! Here are a few of my favorite shots :mrgreen:

 

[OLaA]

Well shooting with faster shutter speeds actually limits the amount of light your camera is taking in. Try slower exposures. 1/60th of a second is pretty safe to use handheld.

 

[Dispatch273]

Well shooting with faster shutter speeds actually limits the amount of light your camera is taking in. Try slower exposures. 1/60th of a second is pretty safe to use handheld.

Thank you! I will try that. I usually use fast shutter speed because the fish move so quickly that it is hard to get good pictures of them

 

[OLaA]

No problem. There a lot of lighting options. I would recommend a speedlite. Mfr specific with TTL while starting out to help you with exposure. There are great 3rd party options as well for far more reasonable pricing but often come fully manual.

Honestly getting better pictures won't be a simple as a task as purchasing a new light source. It will mainly come down to your technique, as I imagine shining a hard light source straight into a glass fish tank won't yield great results. Read up a little more then make a decision that best suits you. Strobist.com (lighting 101) is an excellent resource to start out with.

 

[rokvi]

Well shooting with faster shutter speeds actually limits the amount of light your camera is taking in. Try slower exposures. 1/60th of a second is pretty safe to use handheld.

Thank you! I will try that. I usually use fast shutter speed because the fish move so quickly that it is hard to get good pictures of them

With an off camera speed light you can just diffuse the side of the tank with some grease paper.



This was one I took just mucking around I haven't cleaned the tank or anything yet lol.

1/160 f/4 iso100.

Not sure about Nikon flashes but I have heard good things about the Yongnuo YN-565EX. Which is a cheap but workable flash.[h=1][/h]

 

[SCraig]

My recommendation would be one or two flashes, each side of the tank. To be able to do that with the D50 you'll need some sort of flash commander since the camera doesn't have one built in. Then shoot as fast as your camera and flashes will allow you to (probably around 1/200 second).

 

[Buckster]

I've heard people talk about "slave" flashes and am wondering which one I should buy and where to buy it

What's your budget?

also how to use it.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

 

[Dispatch273]

I've heard people talk about "slave" flashes and am wondering which one I should buy and where to buy it

What's your budget?

also how to use it.

Strobist: Lighting 101

Thank you for the link, I did read it I'd really like to spend less than $150 but I could also save up for longer and purchase something better. From what I have read on the fish forum I use, putting the flash on top of the tank would work well. Do you have any opinions on that?

 

[davisphotos]

Top of the tank could also work, and might look more natural than a side light. The main key is not to get the reflection of the flash or of your camera in the glass, which definitely means the flash needs to be off camera. You'll be shooting close enough to your subject that you don't even really need any sort of wireless trigger, just a flash and an off camera cord. Try the Metz 36AF ($120) and the Vello 6' off camera flash cord ($35)

 

[Buckster]

Top of the tank could also work, and might look more natural than a side light. The main key is not to get the reflection of the flash or of your camera in the glass, which definitely means the flash needs to be off camera. You'll be shooting close enough to your subject that you don't even really need any sort of wireless trigger, just a flash and an off camera cord. Try the Metz 36AF ($120) and the Vello 6' off camera flash cord ($35)

For the cost of that cord, he could get wireless, and that wouldn't leave him tethered if he wanted to use it for other projects where a cord might not be long enough or might be cumbersome.

 

[Buckster]

I've heard people talk about "slave" flashes and am wondering which one I should buy and where to buy it

What's your budget?

also how to use it.

Strobist: Lighting 101

Thank you for the link, I did read it

That's a lot of reading if you've already gone through all the pages for the whole Lighting 101 course. Did you also go through the Lighting 102 and the On assignment courses? If not, you will want to do those next. So then that question of how to use them should be answered at this point. Are you comfortable with that?

I'd really like to spend less than $150 but I could also save up for longer and purchase something better.

For your budget, 1 or 2 of these flashes: Amazon.com: Yongnuo YN-560 Speedlight Flash for Canon and Nikon: Camera & Photo and a set of radio triggers: Amazon.com: Yongnuo RF-603 N3 2.4GHz Wireless Flash Trigger/Wireless Shutter Release Transceiver Kit for Nikon D90/D3100/D5000/D7000: Camera & Photo and if you get the second flash, get a second set of triggers and you'll be able to use one as a remote shutter trigger as well.

From what I have read on the fish forum I use, putting the flash on top of the tank would work well. Do you have any opinions on that?

It will probably work very well. Bottom line: When you get your flashe(s) and triggers, it will be easy to try them in different positions to determine what's best for your fish photo sessions.

I shot these in a fish tank with two lights, one on each side of the front of the aquarium, shot into reflective umbrellas, positioned as shown. A third light was used for the background, but I assume you don't need that, and the flags were to prevent the lights in the front from illuminating the background, so you won't need those either. Also, the flocking was used to prevent reflections off the front of the tank. If your lens allows you to get right up on the glass or you have a good polarizer, that flocking shouldn't be necessary either:

Here's what I was shooting, and the results:

Not swimming fish, but obviously very fast action to capture. Note that the shutter speed was only 1/200 (flash sync speed on my Canon 5DMKII). The fast action is captured by the flashes, which are MUCH faster.

 

[Dispatch273]

What's your budget?


Strobist: Lighting 101

Thank you for the link, I did read it

That's a lot of reading if you've already gone through all the pages for the whole Lighting 101 course. Did you also go through the Lighting 102 and the On assignment courses? If not, you will want to do those next. So then that question of how to use them should be answered at this point. Are you comfortable with that?

I started reading it lastnight but have not gone onto lighting 102 or the On assignment courses. Those will be next!

I'd really like to spend less than $150 but I could also save up for longer and purchase something better.

For your budget, 1 or 2 of these flashes: Amazon.com: Yongnuo YN-560 Speedlight Flash for Canon and Nikon: Camera & Photo and a set of radio triggers: Amazon.com: Yongnuo RF-603 N3 2.4GHz Wireless Flash Trigger/Wireless Shutter Release Transceiver Kit for Nikon D90/D3100/D5000/D7000: Camera & Photo and if you get the second flash, get a second set of triggers and you'll be able to use one as a remote shutter trigger as well.

Thank you!

From what I have read on the fish forum I use, putting the flash on top of the tank would work well. Do you have any opinions on that?

It will probably work very well. Bottom line: When you get your flashe(s) and triggers, it will be easy to try them in different positions to determine what's best for your fish photo sessions.

I shot these in a fish tank with two lights, one on each side of the front of the aquarium, shot into reflective umbrellas, positioned as shown. A third light was used for the background, but I assume you don't need that, and the flags were to prevent the lights in the front from illuminating the background, so you won't need those either. Also, the flocking was used to prevent reflections off the front of the tank. If your lens allows you to get right up on the glass or you have a good polarizer, that flocking shouldn't be necessary either:

Here's what I was shooting, and the results:

Not swimming fish, but obviously very fast action to capture. Note that the shutter speed was only 1/200 (flash sync speed on my Canon 5DMKII). The fast action is captured by the flashes, which are MUCH faster.

Thank you for all of your advice. Very nice in tank pictures. If I can get a picture to come out a fraction as good as yours I'll be very happy

 

[geaclaesson]

This were some tasty shots Buckster!