How to not get reflection

[treesprite]

I didn't even know there was a photography board... where the H have I been?

 

How can I take pictures of the tank without getting a reflection of myself and the room behind me? I'm just using my phone (rear has 16mp+2mp). Do I need to put broad area lights on behind me or... what? Sorry I sound stupid. 

[MODreefer]

As when taking any photos through glass, don’t use flash, turn off all lights behind the shot. Try to take the photo at an angle. If using a phone camera, you can put it inside a sealed pouch designed for underwater and then take some really nice up close shots.

[treesprite]

I've tried turning off all back lighting and it doesn't work, hence the thought that I should have lights on that are about the same brightness as what is in front of the camera. It would be nice to have FTS that doesn't make it look like I'm in my tank, or that I use furniture for tank decorations.

 

What I have left in the way of corals isn't really worth taking pictures of :( . I miss the tank being able to pay for its own supplies (just sell some coral here and there when needed). It is really only an expensive hobby when starting up, upgrading big time, and after bad circumstances wipe out coral growth. It is going to take at least a year to get back to that point, even if I can keep the cat from peeing in the sump again.

[MODreefer]

Maybe try placing the lens directly on the glass. When focusing it should look past any imperfections.

[treesprite]

23 hours ago, MODreefer said:

Maybe try placing the lens directly on the glass. When focusing it should look past any imperfections.

 

I'm talking about shots of the tank standing back from it. 

[madweazl]

I just wait until the sun goes down and shoot in a dark room. Any lights that arent in front of the glass (i.e. the tank lighting) shouldnt reflect on to it.

Edited November 20, 2019 by madweazl

[Origami]

Forrest, does your camera have a delayed shutter release option that you could use by setting the camera up (leaning it on something, using a selfie-stick/tripod thing, etc.), triggering it, and stepping back?

[treesprite]

4 hours ago, Origami said:

Forrest, does your camera have a delayed shutter release option that you could use by setting the camera up (leaning it on something, using a selfie-stick/tripod thing, etc.), triggering it, and stepping back?

I'm pretty sure it does, but no matter how far back things are, there is still a reflection of stuff in the room. It seems from pics on the internet, that a lot of people have the same issue.

 

I just set this tank up, so it would be nice to take FTS of it that don't have reflections.

Edited November 21, 2019 by treesprite

[AlanM]

I turn off all the lights in the room, but that's tough if there are windows.  

 

You might need to just play around with the reflections with dark fabric to try to get them out of the shot.

[gioNVA]

You can also try one of those circular polarizer filters for phones.  I'm not sure how good they work on phones but the ones I used to have on DSLR worked great.

[Jon Lazar]

On 11/20/2019 at 7:13 PM, treesprite said:

I just set this tank up, so it would be nice to take FTS of it that don't have reflections.

 

There are two factors here you can try to control to improve the pictures. 

 

First, eliminate all sources of light in the room.  TV, lamps, windows, etc.  Obviously you can't turn off the tank lights, but they're also a source of extra light.  If the light fixture spills light everywhere, that will also disrupt your pictures.

 

Second, remove objects in the room that will be illuminated by any remaining stray light, and therefore be visible in the reflection.  If you're standing in front of the tank with a camera, wear dark clothes.  Using a tripod is even better.  If there are drapes on the wall opposite the tank, draw them closed to create a uniform background. 

[treesprite]

On 11/30/2019 at 10:36 AM, Jon Lazar said:

 

There are two factors here you can try to control to improve the pictures. 

 

First, eliminate all sources of light in the room.  TV, lamps, windows, etc.  Obviously you can't turn off the tank lights, but they're also a source of extra light.  If the light fixture spills light everywhere, that will also disrupt your pictures.

 

Second, remove objects in the room that will be illuminated by any remaining stray light, and therefore be visible in the reflection.  If you're standing in front of the tank with a camera, wear dark clothes.  Using a tripod is even better.  If there are drapes on the wall opposite the tank, draw them closed to create a uniform background. 

Thanks. I have done this - other than preventing tank light spillage - making sure there are no light sources in the room, but there is light through windows which I can't control. 

[kazimir]

Bit of an old thread, but I have multiple tanks across from each other, so blacking out the room is not really an option.   What I do instead is, setup the phone on a tripod preferably,  then hold out a black blanket to block off the room light.  If you have something near by, you can use squeeze clamps to secure one or both sides of the blanket.  For a really large tank, go to a fabric shop and buy a few yards for a few dollars of a black non see through fabric.