Stingray
I have always been fascinated by sea life. Though this was taken in tough conditions (fluorescent dimmed lights through finger smudged glass) I came out with so...
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I have always been fascinated by sea life. Though this was taken in tough conditions (fluorescent dimmed lights through finger smudged glass) I came out with something I am truly proud of. I'm 18 years old from a small town in West Virginia. Recently stepped up to a canon 70d from the t3i. Thank you for this opportunity to win the camera of my dreams.
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Aug, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in an aquarium in Columbus Ohio under very bad lighting situations. Without breaking the whole, going over 800 iso rule I have, I was able to catch this lowlight masterpiece (in my opinion of course). So through smudged printed glass, a black room, and dim florescent lighting I was able to catch a beautiful photograph of an amazing creature.Time
This photo is the outcome of a heat exhausted person who has been walking around a zoo all day and finally got A/C. So two things were refreshing, the mildly cold air, and this once in a lifetime shot. It was mid day around August 20th.Lighting
Lighting was quite an interesting thing. Like I had mentioned before it was in a very dark aquarium under dimmed florescent lights (a photographers nightmare!). I managed to make it work with a slow shutter speed, low ISO, and a low f/ stop. There is always a way around every lighting situation, no matter how much you complain about it. And I complain about lighting a lot!Equipment
This photo was shot on a Canon 70d. I did not use a tripod, flash, or even a remote for this shot. Since it was a moving shot I made sure to have an image stabilizing lens because of the low shutter speed. It was a dangerous game to play. I was using my canon 50-200mm lens for this particular shot. The low f stop allowed the background motion to be very blurred and add a very nice still yet moving aspect to the image.Inspiration
I love animals. I love to capture animals in motion, it is the coolest thing. Aquariums are so interesting to me and I love a challenge when it comes to taking photos. Being an 18 year old kid, and also a self taught photographer, has made me work really hard to get noticed. Having an opportunity to be bragged about on a blog isn't that bad either!Editing
I did do some post work on this photo. Mainly to fix the lighting situation and also fix colors and shadows, etc. post production is arguably my favorite part. I love the feeling of an image finally coming together. It's one of those "how did they get that awesome shot? Oh wait... I did that!". To me there's no better criticism then from yourself.In my camera bag
I like to Cary 3 lenses with me along with my 70d. I always bring my 50mm, a 50-200mm, and my 75-300mm lenses. Most of my photo shoots are super spontaneous so I always have my camera bag with me. I like to have these lenses because it really covers over everything. If I know for sure I will be using my 300mm then I will be bringing a tripod due to no image stabilization (we all know how that feels).Feedback
If you are going to attempt similar photography that I do then I recommend not being upset when your photos turn out not as good as you want. I am not a professional by any means, I have just learned some things by trial and error and hopefully some of these tips will help you out. Always, always, always check your settings. And then check them again. So many times I have seen an amazing picture waiting for me to capture it. Later I find that this once in a lifetime picture turned out to be completely white because I went from a low exposure inside straight to outside without changing it. There is something called "too much gear". I have a set amount that I bring with me everywhere, if I am aware of a certain shoot or conditions I will bring other gear if necessary. I hope all of your photography adventures are just that, an adventure! Mainly just have fun. Don't worry about the most amazing thing you can get and only go for that. Sometimes it's the little things you pass by that end up being the best shot. Thank you for your time.
