I've taken thousands of fish photos with my digital cameras over the years. Here's a few tips that I've learned along the way that will hopefully help you take better photos of your fish and aquariums.

1. Buy a digital camera! Digital cameras are great to use for taking photos of your aquarium. A digital camera allows the photographer to take as many digital photos of the subject as they like, without the high cost of developing film. Unlike a film camera, you will get instant feed back on the results of your shots. Finally, you can edit and adjust your photos in photo editing software programs like Adobe Photoshop CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 and Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate. 

2. Expensive cameras are usually better at producing higher quality photos. Try to get the best digital camera you can afford. Companies like Canon, Sony, Olympus and Nikon make excellent cameras. Here's a couple of good camera review sites to help you find a quality digital camera. Digital Photography Review and Steve's Digicam.

3. Purchase a digital SLR(Single Lens Reflex) camera. It's more expensive than a compact point-and-shoot camera, but will take higher quality photos. A digital SLR camera allows you complete control of all your camera's settings. It's the perfect camera to use when you need to shoot fast photos in a low lighting environment. In addition, you can change lenses and use external flashes on all SLR cameras. High end point-and-shoot cameras can also take nice photos, but for the best results an SLR camera is the way to go. Here's a listing of some excellent SLR cameras: Canon EOS 50D, Nikon D90 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

4. Thoroughly clean your tank the day before you want to take photos of your aquarium. Wipe down all sides inside the tank, including the bottom. Also, clean the outside front of the aquarium. Vacuum out any debris you might have in your substrate. You might want to clean the filters out as well.

5. Use a diatom filter. A diatom filter like the Vortex D-1 Diatom Filter will make your aquarium water super clean. It's like polishing your water. It will remove those small floating particles in the water that can ruin a nice photo shot. In addition, they can filter out harmful parasites and some bacteria that can harm your discus. Run the diatom filter for several hours just prior to taking your photos.

6. Use very strong aquarium lights under the hood of your tank. The more lighting above your tank, the easier it will be for your camera to focus and take clear photos of your fish. You will need very strong lighting if you decide not to use a flash. Be extremely careful when handling lights above your aquarium. Shock or electrocution can follow if the lights or cords get in contact with the water.

7. Increase your ISO setting on your camera if your photos are blurry due to poor lighting. When using high ISO settings, the camera has to be extremely still to get good results. You just might have to use a tripod if your shots are always filled with noise.

8. Try using the "macro" mode feature on your digital camera. Almost all digital cameras now have a macro mode. The macro mode is used for close ups and will produce better, sharper photos of your fish.

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