How to Photograph Your Angelfish

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How to Photograph Your Angelfish

• A few pointers for the novice angelfish
  photographer

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What you need

• Angelfish to photograph
• A good setting to frame the picture
• Proper lighting
• Camera to take the picture
• Patience

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An Angelfish to Photograph
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Select beautiful angelfish

• Select angelfish with nice colors or markings for
  the variety.

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Select healthy angelfish

• Select angelfish that look like they are bursting
  with health and vitality not droopy or listless
  ones

This chocolate veil angelfish has rich color,
full and erect fins, good body symmetry, bright
red eyes, and looks alert and vigorous. These
qualities make it an excellent choice for
photographing.
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Fins should be in perfect condition

• Not torn or ragged
• Not bent or clamped
• Look for straight fins that dont sag, and a tail
  that doesnt sag or droop

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Framing the picture
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Clean the aquarium!

• Do a water change the same day or the day before
  so the water will be crystal clear.
• Remove algae on the inner tank walls.
• Remove water spots on the outside. (vinegar
  works well)
• Clean algae and scum off of any tank ornaments
  that might end up in the picture.

Dirty tank bottom detracts from this picture.
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Remove clutter from the photo area

• Reposition or hide heaters, heater cords, and
  other items that will detract from the picture.
• Remove cutesy tank ornaments

Air line tubing detracts from this photo.
10
Use appropriate colors

• With a gravel bottomed tank, use a color of
  gravel that will set off the angelfish nicely.
  (Koi angelfish juveniles look sickly against red
  gravel.)
• Select a nice backing for the tank can be blue
  paint or construction or poster paper.
• You dont want a photo with household clutter or
  embarrassing poses by family members showing
  through!

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Lighting

• Use overhead lighting, with extra lights above
  the aquarium for good illumination.
• Turn off other lights in the room

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Should you use a flash?

• A flash can reveal features that ordinarily
  arent seen such as underlying striping.
• Will tend to wash out color
• You can reduce glare by shooting from a slight
  angle

Glare from using a flash.
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A camera

• In this day of digital cameras, the average
  person is better off with a digital camera. Why?
• To get good photographs, you will end up taking
  lots and lots of photos.
• You can adjust your settings and try different
  things until you hit on the right combination
  without spending a fortune on film.

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Patience!

• Wait for your angelfish to take a good pose.

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Frame the picture to feature the fish

• If you include the whole aquarium, the angelfish
  will look small and features will not show up

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Now some patience

• Photograph the fish from a good angle to capture
  the features you want to show off.
• Take lots of photos!
• Send your best picture in to the TAS Photo
  Contest, and perhaps you will be the winner
  with a picture of your angelfish that you are
  truly proud of!

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The End