Jellyfish
First Place Winner in the Lake County Fair Photo Contest. Accepted into a gallery at the Illinois Board of Higher Education's headquarters in Springfield,...
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First Place Winner in the Lake County Fair Photo Contest. Accepted into a gallery at the Illinois Board of Higher Education's headquarters in Springfield, Illinois.
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Aug, 2014Views
655
Likes
Awards
Winner in Crustaceans, Invertabrates, and Sea Creatures Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Superior Skill
Genius
All Star
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I captured this photograph during the Jellies exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. I was excited to go there due to the thought that I was able to get images of sea life that I never could get before. Anywhere I go I always bring my camera in hopes of owning an exceptional composition.Time
I took this photo at around noon. I had no tripod, so holding my iPhone up to the glass was ideal in order for the scratches and fingerprints to be invisible.Lighting
The natural and man-made lighting worked in my favor that day. With the lights shining on the tops of the jellyfish, the natural light filled the underbody. Natural light can be scarce, but that does not mean it is not useful.Equipment
The only item I used was my iPhone. I put it right on the glass so the lens could not detect the scratches and fingerprints.Inspiration
Once my mother mentioned a trip to the Shedd Aquarium, I had conjured up ideas of what compositions I would search for around the building. I thought about jellyfish and how I could capture a candid image of the natural movement of the underbody and the outer "skin," so to speak. I saw commercials of the Jellies exhibit and the image the company conveys is modern, sleek, and simple. I kept that in mind and started snapping once I arrived at the exhibit.Editing
I utilized the HDR (high dynamic range) effect on a photo-editing app. This brought out the insides of the jellyfish showing through the translucent outer layer. I also blurred the edges in order to focus in on the middle jellyfish. That was it! My A.P. Photography instructor thought I strategically placed some of them in the image in Photoshop, but it was actually entirely candid. I had my finger hovering over my phone, readily waiting for the jellyfish to slowly swim into place. Once I saw them moving into the ideal spot on my screen, I snapped it just at the right moment in time.In my camera bag
During this trip to the Shedd Aquarium, all I had with me was my iPhone. I usually carry my Nikon D200, a tripod, a few lens filters (such as neutral-density, polarizing, and star filters), three batteries, and two memory cards. I also have gloves, snacks, and a water bottle just in case.Feedback
Utilize what you have where you are. All I had was my phone, so never doubt you will capture an exceptional composition with solely a phone camera. Patience is key when taking images of living creatures. Knowing that it will be candid, it makes me excited that the natural movements make the photo one-of-a-kind. When focusing through glass, make sure you are as close as possible to the glass so the scratches and fingerprints from other visitors are invisible. Most importantly, let your imagination go wild and have fun!
