Aquarium Photography Tips

Introduction

Aquarium photography is notoriously difficult. Reflections from the glass, the challenge of capturing fast-moving fish, the color shifts introduced by aquarium lighting, and the physics of shooting through water all conspire to make even a stunning tank look mediocre in photographs. Yet well-photographed aquarium shots are some of the most striking images in nature photography, and with the right techniques, anyone can take photos that do their tank justice.

Quick Overview

The Biggest Challenges

Reflections

The glass front panel of your aquarium acts like a mirror, reflecting the room behind the camera back into the shot. This is the most common problem in aquarium photography and the easiest to solve: shoot in a dark room with only the aquarium light on, and the reflection disappears completely.

Autofocus Hunting

Camera autofocus systems struggle with aquariums because they focus on the glass surface rather than the fish inside, or constantly shift focus between the glass, the water, and the background. Manual focus or a single-point autofocus locked onto the fish gives much more reliable results.

Motion Blur

Fish move quickly and constantly. A shutter speed fast enough to freeze their motion is essential for sharp images. On a smartphone, this means shooting in bright conditions or in pro mode with a fast shutter setting. On a DSLR or mirrorless camera, shoot at 1/200 second or faster for active fish.

Camera Settings for Sharp Fish Photos

• Shutter speed: 1/200 to 1/500 second to freeze movement; faster for very active fish like danios
• Aperture: f/5.6 to f/8 gives adequate depth of field for most fish without requiring extremely high ISO
• ISO: as low as possible while achieving correct exposure at your target shutter speed; modern cameras handle ISO 1600-3200 well enough for online sharing
• White balance: set manually to match your tank lighting (LED tanks often look best with a custom white balance or the "daylight" preset rather than auto)
• Smartphone: use pro or manual mode if available; tap to focus on the fish rather than letting autofocus choose; avoid digital zoom

Eliminating Reflections

• Turn off all room lights and shoot with only the tank light illuminating the scene
• Hold the camera lens directly against the glass; this eliminates the air gap that causes reflections
• Use a rubber lens hood or a piece of black foam with a hole cut for the lens pressed against the glass; this blocks room light from entering the frame
• Shoot at an angle to the glass rather than straight on; angled shots reduce but do not eliminate reflections

The lens-to-glass technique (pressing the lens directly against the front panel) is the single most effective reflection-elimination method available without any additional equipment. It works with smartphones too: just press the camera lens housing flat against the glass.

Composition Tips

• Wait for fish to swim into an interesting position rather than chasing them across the frame; patience produces far better shots than constant repositioning
• Use the rule of thirds: position the subject fish at an intersection of the thirds grid rather than centered
• A fish swimming into the frame (with space in front of it) looks more dynamic and natural than one swimming out of the frame
• For full tank shots, try a slightly elevated angle looking slightly down into the tank; it reveals the depth and layering of the aquascape better than a straight-on shot
• Before shooting, clean the glass inside and out; fingerprints and water spots catch light and are very visible in photos

Post-Processing

Even a well-shot aquarium photo often benefits from basic editing. Most fish photos have a slight color cast from the aquarium light that a simple white balance correction in any photo editor can fix. Slight increases in contrast and clarity bring out the iridescence in fish scales that photographs can capture but often undersell.

• Correct white balance first; aquarium LEDs often cast a blue or green tint that makes fish look unnatural
• Modest sharpening helps compensate for slight blur from movement or focus imprecision
• Avoid heavy noise reduction, which smears the fine detail in scales and fins
• Crop generously; aquarium photos often benefit from tight framing on the subject rather than showing the full tank