by Jeff Bentz

My family and I have been members for many years , and it doesn ’ t matter how many times I go , I learn something new each time . Sometimes I go alone and focus on taking pictures . Other times I go with family and take a guided behind the scenes tour . If you haven ’ t visited MBA , or haven ’ t visited in a while , I highly recommend you go . While there , you ’ ll find many opportunities to take photos . I would like to share some thoughts and techniques on how you can bring home a few “ keeper ” photos from your next visit to the aquarium .

The aquarium gets many visitors , so to maximize your photo opportunities you should be there when it opens . I have found that the first two hours after opening and the last hour before closing are the optimal times to take photos . Aquarium photography can be challenging because you ' re taking pictures of moving subjects in a dark environment . The MBA does not allow flash photography nor the use of tripods , so you must rely on your camera settings and technique to get a good image .

One challenge you should be aware of is the high probability of capturing reflections in your photos . Reflections can come from lighting in the room , illuminated exit signs , people around you , and of course you - the person taking the picture .

When photographing in an aquarium , it ’ s best to wear dark clothing to avoid capturing reflections of yourself . Also , the closer you stand to the glass and the closer your lens hood is to the glass the better chance you have of getting a reflection free image . Try not to put your lens hood on the glass as it may leave scratch marks . I use a rubber lens hood that won ’ t scratch the glass and helps prevent reflections . Also , it ’ s best to shoot with your lens perpendicular to the glass to avoid a distorted image caused by light diffraction .

Camera settings are another challenge They can be daunting initially but with a little guidance and some trail and error , you can master your camera settings ! For this discussion I ’ m going to assume we are at a dark exhibit like the jellyfish exhibit , which is one of my favorites . Since tripods and flash photography are not allowed , you ’ ll need to turn on your camera ’ s image stabilization to help steady your hand . Be sure to put your camera in manual mode , as auto mode would allow your camera to make exposure decisions that will surely be disappointing .

Also , set your camera to take raw images , which will give you more flexibility when editing . Next , let ’ s talk about the exposure settings , shutter speed , aperture , and ISO . The goal is to stop

the action of a moving subject ( shutter speed ), have as much of the subject in focus as possible ( aperture / depth of field ), and let in the right amount of light and least amount of noise while shooting in a dark location ( ISO ). I ' d suggest setting your shutter speed somewhere around 1 / 125 to 1 / 200sec , and your aperture to 5.6 .

Next , without taking a picture , step up to your subject and compose an image . Look to see what your camera says your ISO setting should be for a correct exposure . If that ISO setting is within an acceptable noise range for your equipment and noise reduction software , set your camera to that setting and take a photo . Evaluate the image for sharpness , focus depth and noise . If necessary , tweak the settings to get your desired shot . If it ’ s not in the window of acceptable noise you will need to adjust shutter speed and aperture to compensate . From there it ’ s just a matter of making incremental adjustments to get a nice sharp photo . It ’ s okay to set the camera to underexpose a little as it will give you more flexibility with your settings and you will be able to recover some exposure with your editing software .

You may have to take a lot of pictures to find that one special image where everything is perfect , but it ’ s worth it . I realize not all cameras and lenses are created equal so settings may vary with different equipment , but this is a good place to start .

Please remember to respect the animals , follow aquarium guidelines and be considerate of others while photographing at the aquarium . I hope this helps you bring home a keeper !

Jeff Bentz is a travel and landscape photographer in Gilroy , CA . Follow him on Instagram : @ jeff _ bentz _ photography View his portfolio : jeffbentzphotography . com

32 SUMMER 2024 gmhTODAY Magazine : Go . Make history ... gmhtoday . com