How to take good fish pics?

I have always had trouble getting good pictures of my fish. I don't know why. Some good photography tips would be appreciated.

One of my problems is that when the fish see that I am trying to take their pictures, they turn toward me and watch me, making it difficult to get a good profile picture. They are probably hoping that I will feed them.

But the pictures rarely come out clear. Do I need a special camera? I have an Olympus C-5000 Zoom. Should the aquarium hood lights be on or off? Do I use the camera flash? What settings on the camera should I be using? Can the fish be made to pose somehow? What other tips do you have to get good pics?

I found this article very helpful.

http://www.aquaria.i...rder=1&thold=-1

I typically use a photo V instead of trying to take the pics in the tank. This is a small custum glass container shaped like a narrow V so the fish are very restricted in movement. Also use clean water. I do take some pics in the tank but you often have the trouble of the fish comming to see you. This can sometimes be avoided by spending time just sitting on the other side of the room with a good lens, it also allows you to see some interesting behavior some times. Another helpful thing is to have a lot of external light. Then vary the background, I use white and black paper behind my photo V and also try several pics with and without the flash and then pic and choose. I typically take 30-50 pics of an individual and keep 3-4. You also want to be sure you have the camera set on a high shutter speed (if you have the option) so that if the fish moves the picture won't be blurry. The final tip is a little more difficult... have a wife that is an art teacher and very into photography so you can borrow her nice camera.

I typically use a photo V instead of trying to take the pics in the tank. This is a small custum glass container shaped like a narrow V so the fish are very restricted in movement.

Is this "photo V" something you make, or something you buy? Where do you get something like that, or how do you make it?

this can be built with a little patience and some silicone and peices of glass. If you are planning on comming to this collecting trip on the 9th (atleast that seems to be the concensus so far) I will be sure to bring mine and you can copy it or if you would like I could make you one for the cost of supplies and shipping to send it to you. If you can find a shop that cuts glass for windows and picture frames you can probably build one for $15-$20 at most.

I've been building photo tanks for the past couple of years. I got started with making acrylic tanks. I learned here http://tinyurl.com/yfogqm.
I can't say this is the exact way I now build my photo tanks but I'm in the process of building a few right now. Maybe I'll get a "how to" thread going once these tanks are done.

this can be built with a little patience and some silicone and peices of glass. If you are planning on comming to this collecting trip on the 9th (atleast that seems to be the concensus so far) I will be sure to bring mine and you can copy it or if you would like I could make you one for the cost of supplies and shipping to send it to you. If you can find a shop that cuts glass for windows and picture frames you can probably build one for $15-$20 at most.

Yes, please bring it, I would like to see how it is made. Besides, we may have use for it then.

Does anybody have any recomendations for the background color when taking pics?

From looking on this forum it looks like light blue, white, or black are the most popular.

What do you think works best?

Yes, please bring it, I would like to see how it is made. Besides, we may have use for it then.

It is really a very simple thing to cut window glass. You can buy a nice sheet of it at Home Depot for not mucho dinero and cut it however you want. If you go to a glass shop, be sure to specify double-thick window glass. I have a couple of photo tanks I built - not much to them, actually.

Here are a few rather cool resources worth a look at by anyone photographing fish:
http://silurus.acnat...al_imaging.html
http://silurus.acnat...aging_tips.html
http://silurus.acnat...ging_tips2.html