Monterey Bay Aquarium

Charles Krebs · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 5803 Location: Issaquah, WA USA

Been away from the "macro" world for a bit, but I did have an opportunity last week to visit a favorite place... in this case the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Pacific Grove CA.

Leafy Sea Dragon (Dragon frondoso)
Canon 5D, ISO 800, 100/2.8 USM macro, f4 1/40 sec.

Purple Striped Jelly (Chrysaora colorata)
Canon 5D, ISO 800, 50/1.4, f2.8 1/125 sec.

Sea Nettle (Chrysaora fuscesens)
Canon 5D, ISO 800, 50/1.4, f2.8 1/80 sec.

Cuttlefish
Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 50/1.4, f2.8 1/30 sec.

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thartl · Joined: 28 Oct 2009 Posts: 169 Location: Wyoming

Very cool - i'm just a bit envious - I am assuming shot through glass. Wink

Were these shot all available light?
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Planapo · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:41 am Post subject:

Beautiful! All of them! Thanks for sharing, Charlie!
They make me wonder if you are always visiting aquaria in your "wetsuit". Wink

Now, these Chrysaora bring back memories of a remarkable event when I once was lucky to swim in a swarm of "our" C. hysoscella on the Dutch North Sea coast. But when they get washed ashore, most of the long beautiful tentacles and lobes of the manubrium are torn off, and at the beach one can only find the umbrellas of the "compass" medusae.

--Betty

edit: grammar flaw

Cactusdave · Joined: 09 Jun 2009 Posts: 1619 Location: Bromley, Kent, UK

The high iso performance of the camera is well illustrated. I too would be interested to know how these pictures were lit, and also whether you used a tripod or other support.
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Harold Gough · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:52 am Post subject:

Stunning images.

Standing on your head for the jellyfish shots is an interesting technique, Very Happy

Very thoughtful of the aquarium to provide such a photogenic backdrop.

Using flash for seahorses and their allies should be done with care, and sparingly, as they are rather nervous creatures. Some public aquariums prohibit it.

Harold
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augusthouse · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:40 am Post subject:

Beautiful images Charlie.

Your Leafy Sea Dragon image on photomacrography.net is already listed in a Google search for Dragon frondoso - that was quick...

I still remember this one:

http://www.photomacrography1.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4516&highlight=sea+dragon

Craig
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Charles Krebs · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 5803 Location: Issaquah, WA USA

Thanks all!

Harold... for some reason the jellies were always headed down for the shots I liked best... here's a a flipped shot of a bunch of spectators hanging by their feet Wink

...

There are some tanks where flash is prohibited... the Leafy Sea Dragon and the Cuttlefish are in that group.

These were all taken "handheld" with the existing aquarium lighting. (Tripods are not permitted). You are allowed to use flash on the jellyfish... but you then lost the great "look" of the top light supplied in the display. Fortunately the venerable 5D does quite nicely at ISO 800 and 1600. (Although even then the shutter speeds were pretty slow).

I do love nice aquaria. Unfortunately the optical properties of some of the thick tank walls sometimes make for some seriously color fringed shots. The jellyfish tanks here were surprisingly good. This aquarium also has some very attractive displays in tanks with curved walls... they look great but you can't do much photographically with those subjects Crying or Very sad

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rjlittlefield · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject:

Charlie, thanks for the description and the "environment" photo. I've been admiring these images for two days now, trying to figure out how they were shot. I was particularly puzzled by the Sea Nettle. How can they be so sharp at f2.8 with that equipment?? The answer is that they're big! Sometimes I get so fixated on small stuff that it's hard to switch back. Confused

Carefully reading your last post, I'm curious about those quotes around "handheld". Somehow I'm thinking you don't mean quite the same technique that a snapshooter would think. Care to share a few more details?

--Rik

Planapo · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:24 pm Post subject:

Just realized that we are here on Travels with Charlie at Cannery Row. Smile

I am very much enjoying it!

--Betty In search of America.

Charles Krebs · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 5803 Location: Issaquah, WA USA

Betty... Yup... but John Steinbeck wouldn't recognize the place today!

Rik... No need for the quotation marks I suppose, simply hand-held.
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Harold Gough · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:27 pm Post subject:

homestar455 · Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 123

Beautiful photos, I can see why you like the place.

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