Freshwater shrimp bring color and activity to the home aquarium. In a tank of their own, they thrive in groups and reproduce easily. As members of a cleanup crew, they tackle problematic algae to help keep conditions in your tank ideal. Not only are these little creatures amusing to watch as they go about their daily business, but they’re uniquely beautiful.
If you’ve run out of room for new tanks in your home but still want to take your aquarium shrimp hobby to the next level, try shrimp photography. Though you certainly can, you don’t necessarily need to buy special equipment for it and it’s a great way to share your hobby with friends and family.
Here’s what you need to know about photographing freshwater shrimp and some tips for capturing the best images of your aquatic friends.
You’ll Need a Macro Lens
When it comes to close-up photography of small objects like shrimp, you’re going to need a macro lens. A macro lens enables you to focus in extremely close to the subject of your image so you can see all the tiny details. These lenses typically don’t have a magnification factor over 1:1 – they don’t zoom in. You’ll need to get as close to the shrimp as possible, but the lens will keep the image in focus as you do. If you with to add more color to the shot, get different types of shrimp from Shrimpy Business and the perfect shot is guaranteed.
Even with the right lens, macrophotography can be tricky. Freshwater shrimp are quick and their movement can make it more difficult to get a clear shot. Bright lighting helps, but it will only go so far if the shutter speed on your camera is too slow.
If you don’t have a lot to invest in camera equipment, your smartphone will work just fine. Most smartphones have a macro setting, and you may also be able to adjust the settings. Experiment with different ISO ratings, aperture, and shutter speed combinations to see what works best for your tank.
Shrimp Photography Tips for Beginners
Photography is an art as well as a skill, so it will take time to figure out what you’re doing. Whether you’re using a smartphone or a camera, spend a little time playing around with the different settings to see how they affect the image. Once you get a feel for the settings, you’ll be able to dial in on the right combination that works for your individual tank setup.
When you’re ready to try your hand at shrimp photography, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Change up the angle. Another way to reduce reflections is to change the angle you’re shooting from. Shooting slightly to the side, above, or below your subject may help with glare.
- Switch away from Auto mode. When your camera is on Auto mode, it will automatically slow down the shutter speed in low-light settings. This may result in blurry photos. Switch to Manual mode instead and set the shutter speed to 1/125s or above.
- Adjust your aperture. The aperture is the opening through which light passes, so you generally want it wider in low-light settings. Try out different options but a setting around f/2.8 should work well.
- Consider the composition. When you’re figuring out your camera settings it may be best to photograph your subject straight-on. Once you’re dialed in, however, play around with different angles to highlight different parts of your shrimp or to capture different elements in their surroundings.
- Think about the background. Even when using a macro lens, you’ll see some of the background in your shots. The background will be blurry, but you can change your shooting angle to find a background that helps your subject stand out.
- Lure your subjects where you want them. You don’t have to just sit around and wait for your shrimp to move to the best spot for a photo – you can drop a little food there to lure them in.
- Don’t be afraid to get creative. Head-on shots are great to capture the colors and patterns of your shrimp, but you can get some really interesting shots of shrimp behavior if you work at it. Take advantage of feeding behavior, molting, and breeding behavior to capture imagery.
- The closer the better. If your camera or smartphone is set to automatic flash, you’ll want to disable it, if possible. If you can’t, get as close to the glass as possible – ideally, right up against it. This will reduce glare produced by the reflection of the flash.
If you already have some experience with photography, you can take your photos to the next level with some specialty equipment.
Lighting is paramount, so consider investing in an off-camera flash. They typically work best when placed face-down on top of your tank lid, so they illuminate the entire scene when you take your shot. You’ll still want to get as close to the glass as possible, but using a flash means you won’t have to adjust the settings on your camera as much.
You may also find it helpful to use a tripod. This enables you to capture cleaner images, especially when doing close-up shots. If you’re trying to photograph your shrimp in a particular part of your tank, a tripod enables you to get everything set up so all you have to do is wait for the perfect moment.
Enhance Your Shrimp Photography with Editing
You’ve captured a great image, now what? Even if your photographs look good, you may be able to tweak them just the slightest bit to make them perfect. Using the available settings in your basic photo editing software, you can make any photo look near professional.
Here are some quick things you can try:
- Adjust the white balance to make the photo look cooler (more blue) or warmer (more orange).
- Lower or raise the exposure to bring attention to the shadows and highlights.
- Increase the contrast to make the image really stand out.
- Adjust the clarity settings to make the edges in your photograph crisper.
- Play with the saturation level to bring out the full span of color in your shrimp.
The first rule of photography is patience. Be patient with your subjects – wait for the perfect shot or adjust your own position in order to get it. Be patient with yourself – it takes time and practice to develop photography skills. But even more importantly, have fun with it!