Thanks to aktse and dadwtwins, whose recent threads (here and here) on the new seahorse exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium motivated me to get off my comfy couch and visit the exhibit. Seahorses are tough to photograph as many of them are kept in dome tanks with thick glass that distort these little creatures. Some of them had so much distortion that I couldn't get a small seahorse in focus in entirety through the viewfinder. Stepping away from the tank probably would help but with people behind me waiting to get closer to the tank, that wasn't going to happen. I simply moved on. I do have a few shots, though.

1.


2. Head-on collision: These two were going fast and collided. It was a blast watching them trying to untangle themselves.


3.


4.


5.


6.


The weedy and leafy sea dragons are easier to photograph because they are kept in a big tank with a flat glass panel. Moreover, they float around and slowly move all over the tank.

7. Weedy


8. Leafy


9. Leafy


10. Leafy


11. Lastly, anemone


Thanks to aktse for her advices on how to capture these beautiful creatures.

Great shots. The aquarium is a fun place to shoot. You captured the colors very well.

Originally Posted by tisun Thanks to aktse and dadwtwins, whose recent threads (here and here) on the new seahorse exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium motivated me to get off my comfy couch and visit the exhibit. ... Thanks to aktse for her advices on how to capture these beautiful creatures.

It's not my advice -- it's dadwtwin's advice. I *struggled*. I was seriously going nuts inside that exhibit and needed a swift kick from him in order to get my head screwed back on correctly.

And I think you did quite well! The glass really makes focusing incredibility difficult

Originally Posted by tisun

These were my favorite of the bunch! I think considering the conditions, you did an excellent job!

And I found that I had the easiest time with the leafy/weedy sea dragons!

Originally Posted by Cygnus Studios Great shots. The aquarium is a fun place to shoot. You captured the colors very well.

Steve, thanks. It's a great place to visit... and shoot. I'm going back.

Originally Posted by aktse It's not my advice -- it's dadwtwin's advice. I *struggled*. I was seriously going nuts inside that exhibit and needed a swift kick from him in order to get my head screwed back on correctly. And I think you did quite well! The glass really makes focusing incredibility difficult These were my favorite of the bunch! I think considering the conditions, you did an excellent job! And I found that I had the easiest time with the leafy/weedy sea dragons!

April, thanks for passing along dadwtwins' advice. Now, after photographing these seahorses, jellyfish seems easy. The Outer Bay exhibit is another story. That tank is so dark. It's too bad there is no sunfish there now.

I find the anemone to be the best composed shot.

#3 & #10 are to die for! #10 is by far a text book shot of this creature! If I was to look it up, I would expect to see a shot like this!

Great job Tony

I personally like #2 the most.

Anthony and Pat, thanks for your comments.

dadwtwins, thank you for your wisdom -- I benefited second hand from April.

Nice work! Shooting an aquarium has to be pretty darn difficult, especially
with the number of visitors that the MBA attracts.

Alvin

WOW...Great photos

Did you use a ND filter?


Take Care,
Charles

Charles,

Thanks. No ND filter. It was already too dark without the filter.