Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

I have not been to an aquarium in years, no decades. Planning on visiting the Atlanta Aquarium tomorrow.
What suggestions can anyone give on capturing images? What do I need to be careful of?
Wide angle lens? 18-55mm
35mm lens?
I have a 40mm macro lens.
Polarizing filter?
I have two Nikons, 5300 and 7100. Will probably bring the 5300 since it is lighter in weight and the live view screen flips out.

Thanks

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Rubber lens hood to touch glass so you can block glass reflections. I would use your 40MM Macro. I do manual focus and need to pump up the iso to freeze the fish in the low light in Shedd Aquarium. No filters

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

thanks. I have a rubber hood.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Don

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

As above. but add a polarizer. You may not need it, but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Andy

the f/stops here Loc: New Mexico

No on the polarizer since none of the light source is polarized and it eats up 1 and 1/2 stops of light. I might suggest an 8X10 inch or larger black board with a hole cut in it in the center the diameter of your lens for your lens/camera to be placed looking through. The glass of the tanks will always reflect, so let them reflect black. It actually works well.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

If working right up on the glass is permissible with protection against scratching the glass as others have stated, you won't require a polarizing filter. If however, you can not get in that close or need more distance to get you composition, a CPL filter is very helpful and can minimize or eliminate most unwanted reflections in glass. A polarizing filter WILL work without a polarized light source. Cross polarization is more effective and yields a more pronounced effect in certain conditions but the CPL filter will work, quite effectively on its own. Polarizing filters DO introduce neutral density to the tune of about 2 f/stops but working at a slightly higher ISO, if necessary, will compensate without too much "noise". In a smaller aquarium you may be able to block off some reflections with a black card or cloth but in a large public venue, you would need an inordinately large gobo to do that.

Another tip- Water introduce a certain amount of magnification so the use of shorter focal lengths and wide angle lenses may yield better results.

Bison Bud

My problem is generally having to crank up the ISO enough to deal with the low light levels and the moving subjects. I also hate the lighting they use in our local aquarium as most everything is very blue no matter where I set the color temperature. Most of this can be taken out in post, but when they use blue lights it's impossible to remove it all from my experience. While a polarizing filter may help with reflections in some situations, it would indeed make the low light situation even more difficult to deal with so I haven't even tried that option as yet, but don't expect much help there either. As others have stated, try to get right up on the glass if possible and I've found that shooting at a bit of an angle can help too, especially when I can't get right up on the glass. Focus can also be a difficult issue to deal with due to shooting through the glass, etc. I've used both manual and auto focus and either way have real problems getting a sharp image. This may also be somewhat due to the low light levels. Anyway, interesting photographic challenge here and one I get a bit better at each time I go to the aquarium. Good luck and good shooting to all.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

If the light in the aquarium is colored, for effect, or shifted due to the volume of water or certain tints or impurities in the glass, you may wish to adjust your white balance accordingly which may minimize the extent of correction required in post processing. With shorter focal lengths I find that focusing is not as critical due to somewhat more depth of field. Back in the film days, cameras, such as the Nikonos, designed for underwater usage, were usually equipped with wide angle lenses, considered as normal, such as 35mm on a regular 35mm format.

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

Monitor what reflections you get from the glass. You might see yourself or other super imposed over the fish.

ncribble Loc: Albuquerque, NM

WOW! What wonderful suggestions from fellow UHH's. This is why my first joy of the morning is reading the discussion sections of this blog.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I use my Nikon 35mm 1.8 on my D7000 for indoor stuff like aquariums and museums, plus Auto-ISO. Be sure to get in close to the glass. The biggest problem will be the crowds so go at opening time.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I used a 24-70mm zoom and a rubber lens hood. The rubber hoods can be placed against the glass (acrylic) and will prevent reflections and glare.

bbrowner Loc: Chapel Hill, NC

That aquarium (Georgia Aquarium) is a super place. A number of years ago I got some really good pics there when I had a simple point-and-shoot camera and didn't take too much care. And yet they were good. With a better camera plus care while shooting... you should end up being very happy.

Enjoy

Barry

newcamman

I took pictures at this aquarium years ago when I was just learning photography. focus can be very difficult through glass so perhaps I would suggest a monopod with manual focus.