my latest images of macro corals under actinic...

[kactusficus]

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to share some images I did last week... it was at morning, before the "sun" lights got on... Just the actinic tubes, and the corals waking up... I love the way their colors get surreal, their "skin" details, it's like an alien landscape!

I would be happy to read some comments, advices... and what your favorites are!

:)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/454164107_b141567db0.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/241/454181968_71b52999a3.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/235/454181964_601a0a8817.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/454181910_7971bdbb67.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/254/454181918_046a7778f9.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/454204432_5ff853ac2d.jpg

[kactusficus]

and some more...


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/454252954_c14160ca20.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/222/454252952_3d036c0b17.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/454252950_6cd5cb5e10.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/236/454252948_6d51dce93e.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/454281836_a3b3b7b76b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/454281766_aeb5e32400.jpg

[Rosseau]

Wow very very interesting.

I especially enjoy the first three, though all are nice.

#2 Really makes you feel like they are "waking up"

Merci :)

[clippo]

super shots. I like 1 and 2 best... would like to see them at a larger size though...

[maroun.c]

Very nice crystal clear pics.
it's a shame yo uresized them that small.
can you please share which camera and lense you used as well as how did yo udeal with WB (RAW? Measured or preset and did you do any PP for WB?)

[Lpabsolute]

Sweet Pics ! ! ! !

[kactusficus]

lol, here we go, a bigger view of the first 2, which seems to be your fav...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/241/454181968_caf19e0d92_o.jpg

and

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/454164107_30e1097c70_o.jpg

and thanks for your nice comments!

maroun.c, I'm using the Nikon D200 with the Sigma 105mm macro lens. It's a RAW file, and the white balance is done manually, with a setting of 8300 or 9100°K.

[edwing206]

Those shots are AWESOME!!!
Very nice and crisp.

[Hendersonracing]

nice!

[dnorton]

Incredible!!

[Rosseau]

The very last (also the first) picture you posted, what is it of?

[Rosseau]

brain..?

[kactusficus]

Rosseau, it's a favia... yes, brain coral... I'm totally in love with this coral, the shades are uncredible... with daylight, it is apple green with cherry red polyps, and with the actinics, as you see, the green become metallic, and the polyps gain a purple crown... he's my fav of the tank!

[Rosseau]

How are the reef stores in Nice?

I would imagine there is a big market there for expensive aquariums.

[davefan13]

Those are some amazing pictures. I love the coloration of all of them!

[louist]

Nice work on the photos! I enjoyed your composition too :)

[ahuxman58]

Very Very nice

[Blazer88]

That brain coral is great! I still haven't messed around much with actinic shots yet, this gives me something to strive for. And thanks for posting the larger images, my screen is 1680 wide and the first ones are tiny :D

[kactusficus]

Blazer, yes, for sure it was small "stamps" for some screens... but I try to be careful with internet diffusion, you know how it is...!
In the tank dedicated gallery of my flickr album, though, the large images are available! :D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kactusficus/sets/72157594347041128/

Can't wait to see your actinics, as talented as you are, it will be definititely something to admire!


Rosseau, yes, the business of large private tanks is definitely doing well here, with Monaco nearby, but unfortunately, we, common people, don't take much advantage of this... The tanks are done "sur mesure", by some LFS realising the tank and providing the inhabitants, but we never see a single fin of those inhabitants, they are specially ordered and given to the owner of the tank in project.

Around Nice, there's 3 LFS and 3 or 4 big gardening store with pet section providing marine fauna. The arrivals are poor (especially on corals, and not common fish species), and as soon as there's something arriving, if you come to the store two days after the arrival, there's nothing left. If I had money, I will definitely open a LFS, specialized in providing rare and interesting species! There's almost one year I'm looking forward to get an interesting goby, and there's nothing! I would like a stonogobiobs or a flaming prawn goby, and no way I can even see one! My quest for the candy basslet is as well totally in vain, I guess...

I'm definitely very jealous of you people from North America, getting so many incredible animals for very cheap!!!
Guess how much I paid for my ricordea yuma? 50 euros, that makes $65!! I ordered my florida and most of my zoanthids at Coral Fanatics, in the USA, as it was definitely cheaper to make them come from there than buying some in France! and anyway, we never get the chance to see colored zoanthids as the one provided in USA, here... Here we have brown, brown, brown, and sometimes, green/brown and orange/brown!! lol

Well, someday, maybe I'll emigrate just for my Reef Tank passion! ;)

[drummereef]

Wow, the second pic is great. The way the coral is fluorescing is insane. :thumbsup:

[nUgZ]

Great work!! I love the Favia especially.

[reefman13]

Humph...................you have the D200..........I have a D50, but a friend whose dad has a D200. Great camera, and even better pictures, the Zoa pic is my fav.

[jeffbrig]

That favia is stunning....good work!

[kactusficus]

thank you for your nice comments! My favia is blushing with all this compliments!