Reef macro shots

[Rhoads238]

Hey all,

About 7 months ago I started up a reef aquarium. Its been an interesting journey, learning as much as i can about this interesting and unique hobby. I have become captivated by the unique shapes, colors and flowing movement of the different corals. Here's a few macro shots of some of my tank's inhabitants.

Staghorn Acropora


Clavularia viridis


Fungiidae sp.


Zoanthus sp.


Euphyllia glabrescens


CC welcome,

Jason

[Bobobird]

Beautiful specimens that you are raising. Great photography too. Cutting the tank reflections is not easy having dabbled in it with my friend's tanks now and then.

I bet you started doing this so that you can take amazing pictures.

[IzzieK]

Nice series.

[jamn4ex]

cool stuff!

[ShaneS]

Very nice and enjoyable to view Jason. I like them all, especially the last one, and my only question is did you try to brighten or add contrast your image of Fungiidae sp.? I really like the composition on that one but is seems a bit dark to me.

[Stagecoach]

Jason,

An enjoyable series of well shot images of underwater life that we rarely get to see here. Keep them coming.

Grahame

[deetheturk]

Great set of images Jason!

[Rhoads238]

Thanks everyone!

Bobo, It was definitely a thought in my mind when I was setting my tank up. My only wish is that I had bought a 200mm macro lens instead of the 105 i am currently using. The extra reach would allow me to get some shots of my specimens that are further into the tank.

Shane, I didn't do too much processing to the fungidae. Basically just the raw processing. I pulled the blacks down to darken the background. Perhaps i should have used an adjustment brush to counter balance it on the foreground.

Ghramme, Thanks. Heres a few more.

Dinoflagellates. A nuisance protist that can take several weeks to months to defeat.


Aiptasia. A nuisance anemone that reproduces rapidly, capable of stinging other corals and inverts.


Amphipods cleaning debris off of a zoanthid



Thanks again everyone,

Jason

[Wavelength]

What a stunning images!!!! they are so beautiful to challenge the beauty beyond water,bodies....It is even more wonderful to know that these are from your tank and not from their natural locations....Which was your white balance? which was the lighting you used? Regards

[Rhoads238]

What a stunning images!!!! they are so beautiful to challenge the beauty beyond water,bodies....It is even more wonderful to know that these are from your tank and not from their natural locations....Which was your white balance? which was the lighting you used? Regards

Thanks Nandakumar! Its a fascinating hobby that I would recommend anyone to try. A lot of the specimens in my tank are mariculture and aquaculture, to minimize the impact on the natural reefs. As far as lighting I just use the light that grows my corals, an ecotech radion xr-30w pro. Its an led light fixture that that mimics the effect of the sun by changing its color temperature throughout the day. It also follows the moon cycle by varying its output during the night. The goal of that is to to trigger a spawning response. I actually managed to get my shrimp to spawn once and fortunately was home to witness thousands of baby shrimp released into the water, which ultimately became a feeding frenzy for my corals.

As for the white balance, it needs to be adjusted in post processing because it is outside of the preset white balances in the camera. Generally it is between 10000k and 20000k but it can go a lot higher than that.

Thanks again,

Jason

[Rhoads238]

Hey guys,

Heres a shot of one of my newer additions.

Scolyamia at feeding time


CC always welcome,

Jason

[chauncey]

Jason...I know nothing about aquariums but, it looks like potential for some more great images.
How do you keep the glass clean enough to shoot through?

[Brownbear]

Jason... beautiful images, 1,3 and 5 being my favourites.

[Rhoads238]

Chauncy, thanks. It's not that hard, you just clean the inside with a sponge and I use rubbing alcohol to clean the outside.

Christina, thanks. 2 and 3 are my favorites so far.

-Jason

[deetheturk]

More cool images Jason,cheers for sharing!

[Rhoads238]

I have crabs!

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Wavelength]

WOW; lovely...and this time funny too

[bnnrcn]

Very nice images Jason,I love the colours.