The last week has been incredibly active over at Fluval’s Facebook page thanks to huge participation in the Fluval Winter 2009 Photo contest.  Looks like everyone really wants that Fluval EDGE, which will be awarded to the photo contest winner!

If you haven’t checked them out yet, head over to the Fluval Facebook Photo Gallery and view over 100 aquariums and fish photos already submitted. To enter your own, just upload 2 photos (1 up close fish/creature portrait, 1 full tank shot) to Fluval’s Wall.

With all of the excitement and aquarium photos, we thought we’d offer some tips to help you take that award winning shot, even if you’re just using a regular point and shoot camera.  So without further ado, here are 10 Tips that can dramatically improve your aquatic photography:

1. Turn off your flash! If you do nothing else, absolutely remember this: Turn off your flash when photographing your aquarium or individual fish.

Nothing kills a great aquatic photo like your camera’s built in flash.  By turning off your camera’s flash, you allow your camera to view the aquarium exactly (theoretically) as you see it in real life.  This will eliminate unnatural colors, reflections and flash burst in the glass, and unhappy fish.  ”But now my pictures are blurry!” Don’t worry, we’ll address how to fix that below.

2. Take A LOT of pictures. Sometimes getting a great aquatics photo is just a numbers game. With the advent of digital photography and the ability to take virtually unlimited photos without significant extra cost, this is perhaps the simplest way to get better aquatic photos. Just take more of them and chances are that one in a hundred will be absolutely stunning!

3. Don’t shake the camera. Without your flash turned on, your camera will likely automatically increase the exposure time (decreasing shutter speed) to compensate for the flash being turned off. This turns any camera movement into a failed photo due to image blur.  Try to hold the camera perfectly still while squeezing the button.

4. Use a tripod. This point goes along with not shaking the camera. By using a tripod or setting up a make-shift table or stack of books, you can completely eliminate ALL camera movement. You might also consider using your camera’s delay timer so that you never even touch it during the shot.

5. Take your pictures at night with all nearby house and room lights turned off. This eliminates any reflection or glare from lights, items, or people (including the photographer) in the room. It also places the entire focus of the picture on the aquarium itself. *And yes I know this rule was broken in the title shot above. Proof that good photos can still be shot when breaking these rules.

6. Replace your aquarium light bulbs or upgrade to higher output lighting. Since you’ve promised to stop using your camera’s flash, it’s even more important that your tank is well lit so your camera can soak up every last bit of light from the aquarium. Remember to replace your bulbs on a yearly basis. Brighter lights mean brighter tank, brighter fish, and better pictures.

7. Shoot in “Action” or “Burst” mode. With so much movement in many aquariums it can be hard to catch just the right shot.  Now a feature even in many new point and shoots and a standard in DSLR’s, burst mode will fire off 3 or more shots automatically.

8. Increase your camera’s ISO setting. Just like for taking great night shots, increasing your camera’s ISO to 400, 800, or 1600 (if you have a killer DSLR) will increase it’s sensitivity to light and take advantage of every ounce of light emitted from your tank.  You’ll have to be careful though as this can also lead to increased “noise” and grain in the image.

9. Follow some basic rules of photography composition. Something as simple as placing a fish in the photo off center can make it much more visually interesting.  Get creative with angles, framing, and even cropping after you’ve put the image on your computer.

10. Buy a better camera. While all of these tips can help even the amateur with a simple point and shoot take better pictures, a better camera with a better lens can make a world of difference. Canon and Nikon (among others) now make a number of entry-level DSLRs that can propel your aquatic photography to the next level.

Do you have your own aquatic photography tip to add to our list? Tell us about it below in the comments!

At Fluval, we are huge fans of aquatic art and beauty.  We are continually amazed at the effort and creativity that goes into our fishkeeper’s aquariums and want them to be recognized for it!

We’ll be judging our favorite photos on the following criteria: Technical merit (quality of photo in terms of lighting, resolution, etc), Aesthetics (beauty of the fish or aquarium) and Artistic flair (creative approach to capturing the scene, such as unique angle or perspective).

Here’s how to enter your fish and aquarium into the contest:

1. Visit the Fluval Facebook Page and become a Fan.

2. We’re looking for two pictures per entry: 1 portrait of a single fish (or group of fish) and 1 complete tank shot (you must provide both to be eligible).

3. Post your pictures to Fluval’s wall with a short description of the fish or aquarium

4. Share your pictures with friends and comment on your favorites!

All entries must be posted to the Fluval Facebook wall by midnight January 17th, 2010. The winner of the Fluval EDGE (in Pewter, Black, or Burnt Orange – your choice!) will be announced on Monday, January 25th, 2010.

Contest is subject to the following rules and regulations:
1. All valid entries must include an attached file that shows aquarium/fish. You must be the sole author and owner of the copyright in all pictures entered.
2. All entries must be in digital format.
3. All entries must be at minimum resolution of 150 DPI (or higher) and sized 240 x 240 pixels or larger – Larger entries may be reduced to fit the allotted space and to allow optimized download. – Suggested maximum size should be less than 1 M.
4. No lewd, obscene, exploiting or abusive graphics will be accepted.
5. By submitting a photo to the Fluval Facebook page, each contestant agrees to abide by the rules and regulations governing this contest.
6. Multiple unique entries are allowed, but only one person per household can win. Any and all duplicate pictures will be discarded.
7. All entries must but uploaded and submitted to the Fluval Facebook page “Wall” (www.facebook.com/fluval) by the contest close date of midnight January 17, 2010.
8. The contest draw will be January 24, 2006 at 12:00 PM. One (1) winning entry will be selected from all eligible entries received. Winners will be notified by e-mail shortly after the contest draw date. The prize must be accepted as awarded. No substitutions, refunds, transfers or cash equivalent payments will be allowed. Odds of winning are based on the number of entries received.
9. Prizes:
A. One (1) First Place Prize: 1 x Fluval EDGE Aquarium Kit (Item number 15395 or 15396 or 15397) Approximate Retail Value: $149.99 USD
10. All accepted photos may be displayed on the Fluval Blog (www.fluvalblog.com), Fluval Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/fluval), and Fluval Twitter Page (www.twitter.com/fluvalblog) as they are received for the duration of the contest period.
11. This contest is open to legal US Residents 18 year of age or older, Canadian residents of legal age or if under the legal age with the permission of a parent or legal guardian.
12. The following are excluded from entering: employees, representatives, agents and of Rolf C. Hagen Inc. its subsidiaries and partners and their immediate families, participating dealers; their immediate families; and any persons with whom they are domiciled.
13. No purchase is necessary for entry into this contest.
14. All entries become the sole property of Rolf C. Hagen Inc. and none will be returned. By entering this contest, all entrants agree to the use and publication of their names, likeness and addresses to be used for promotion purposes by Rolf C. Hagen Inc., or its advertising agencies, without compensation either during or after the contest.
15. A list of the winners’ name and province and the winning photographs will be published on the website shortly after the winners have been informed.
16. Selection of winners will be by a panel of judges selected from the Web and Marketing departments of Rolf C. Hagen Inc.
17. Photos will be judged based on technical merit (quality of photo in terms of lighting, resolution, etc), aesthetics (beauty of the water garden or pond) and Artistic flair (creative approach to capturing the scene, such as unique angle or perspective)
18. All decisions by judges are final.
This contest is subject to all Federal, Provincial and Municipal laws and regulations.