My Loach Wallpaper

[TeeCeeJay]

One of the best photos I've taken of my loaches, now adorns my computer screen, so even when I''m not sat in front of the tank I can still see it.

Here's the original.



Can't wait to get my new flash gun!!

TC

[Graeme Robson]

Superb!!!

[Diana]

The original is REALLY nice. The water is so clear it looks like they are floating in air.

[andre]

The light from the top is a flash or a fixed light?

[TeeCeeJay]

The light from the top is a flash or a fixed light?

Its a flashgun with a slave unit so it fires at the same time as the flash on the camera.

I need to work on removing the harsh shadows by diffusing the light a bit

Diana, it is really clear at the moment, although some photos I took last night do show the particles, (flash light is good for that! )

TC

[andre]

Thanks TC!

[Emma Turner]

That's a gorgeous shot, TC.

Emma

[Mark in Vancouver]

A level adjustment layer in Photoshop brings the sharp brightness down a bit. Great clip-path work!

[Diana]

The original is very good in another way. Notice how everything in the picture either points toward the Clown, or else runs at 90 degrees to these lines, acting as a frame.

The other 2 fish are looking at him, the lump of driftwood lower in the tank is aimed at him, the rock behind him is sloped in his direction, even the grassy plants above him are aimed at him. One of the leaves of the Java Fern (Behind the lower/right hand fish) is pointing at him.
The heater and filter form a bit of a frame. The background is just well enough lit that it shows there is something there, but is subdued so the focus of the pic is the Clown and his friends. The silvery fish lower down might actually be closer to us than the Clown, but this fish is in shadow, making him more of a secondary feature, not the main focus. The dark shadow across the well lit substrate, and the substrate that shows through the glass make another framing line under and one in front of the Clown. Even the more subtle shadow on the substrate under the right hand fish is pointing at the Clown. The plants on the far right are not as good a frame, but they are a bit brighter than their surroundings so they stand out as a frame.

[Botia Robert]

Wow that really is stunning! Nice clown and nice looking tank.

[Rubix]

wow i am in love with the original do you have that in high res? id love to use it on my next desktop theme

[TeeCeeJay]

id love to use it on my next desktop theme

What pixel size is your monitor i.e. 1024 x 720 etc, Let me know and I'll send you a copy that should fit perfectly, (no stretching or distortion)

Thanks for all the kind comments guys, I'm waiting for a new flash gun to arrive and then I hope to improve even more on my photos.

Diana - Your critique of the original shot sounds just like something my Lecturer at Uni used to say. She was very much into 'juxtaposition of elements within the frame'.

Me - I always thought it was just luck.

TC

[chefkeith]

Splendid picture. The model looks hot enough to be in one of those Levi Straus ads. A little more belly cleavage from the clown would be nice though.

[Rubix]

i usually run 1280x1024 px, thank you

[tattooedgemini]

that's some awsome photography!