Recent content by gparr

Not too long ago, I would have suggested you buy a good DSLR and a macro lens. These days, I would suggest that you look into mirrorless cameras, preferably ones that allow interchangeable lenses. Macro lenses generally are not cheap, but you can get a mirrorless camera body relatively...

Lots of people are able to take some time off this week and, I'm sure, spend some time cleaning up their tanks. Once things are all shiny and running smoothly, break out whatever camera you have and try this challenge: Make one or more images of scenes in your reef. In other words, photograph a...

Looks terrific. What did you use to hold the GoPro when you made the video. Would be interested in seeing a 30-sec. "tour" of the tank with the flow turned off and slower movement. Gary

Top-down photos can be challenging. I'm not a big fan of photo boxes because the acrylic you shoot through is not of optical quality and scratches easily. Photo boxes are also hard to hold still so it's difficult to get sharp images. My personal dislike is based on the fact that I'm convinced...

Outstanding stuff. Thanks for sharing. Gary

Kathy, Impressive. How are you holding the camera in the water, i.e., what type of grip/attachment and how are you seeing what the camera is seeing? Using the phone app? You are absolutely on my list for things to do the next time I'm in St. Louis. Gary

Would like to see videos made by placing the camera/housing (please use the housing) in a reef aquarium--regular HD video or time-lapse. I'm curious to see what people can produce. Gary

Excellent event coverage. It was a pleasure to meet you. Gary

Thanks to all for inviting me to contribute to and attend the event this past weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many. Thanks also to all of the folks who attended both talks. Full rooms and lots of questions afterward make it fun for speakers. I've attended several of these types of...

Arrived in Brooklyn last night and was treated to a photo session in front of the Randy Donowitz reef. If my eyes hadn't been crossing from exhaustion, I'd have photographed corals all night. As it is, I was able to make two or three reasonable images, including this one of Randy's clam. I'm not...

Wonder, Always glad to help and always happy to have more listeners. Gary

You need to use a tripod and shoot in manual mode so you can control shutter speed and aperture. As your aperture number goes up, the aperture gets smaller and your depth of field deeper, putting more of the subject in focus. To accomplish that requires a slower shutter speed, making it easier...

Sticking my nose in here, even though this thread seems to have died out. I've been using Vertex pellets for several months on an NPS tank with excellent success. Here are the instructions I followed. You have to have a good skimmer, preferably one that is oversized for the tank. The effluent...

Thanks Prattreef and Aquabacs. We're enjoying doing the podcasts and hope people find them to be interesting/informative. Gary

I'm trying to do the airstone modification to my Bak Pak. I bought a Coralife limewood airstone but am not sure how big of an air pump I need to drive the stone. What air pumps are people using? Gary