How to Take a Picture of Pond Fish

Whether you're visiting a park or put the finishing touches on a backyard pond, photographing the beauty of the scene becomes a must for any photography enthusiast. Capturing clear, sharp pictures of the pond fish swimming below the surface of the water can present a challenge. To create colorful photos of the fish use a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera fitted with a polarizing filter to cut through the reflection of the water, get dock or boat access to the pond and practice your patience. (See Reference 1)

Things You'll Need

  • Single-lens reflex (SLR) camera
  • Polarizing filter
  • Film
  • Tripod
  • Fish food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Screw a polarizing filter onto the threads on the end of your camera lens using a clock-wise motion. (See Reference 2)

    • 2

      Load the film camera with slow speed film -- such as 200 ASA -- or set a digital camera's sensitivity to 100 or 200 using the camera's menu labeled "ISO". (See Reference 1)

    • 3

      Mount the camera onto a tripod. Select the "Program" shooting mode or set the exposure manually, as desired.

    • 4

      Position yourself on a dock or boat so you can look directly down at the water. Aim the camera towards the water where the pond fish like to feed.

    • 5

      Sprinkle fish food into the water.

    • 6

      Look through the camera's viewfinder while twisting the polarizing filter left and right, until you notice the reflective water surface disappears, and you see the fish more clearly. (See Reference 1)

    • 7

      Press the shutter to capture a picture of the fish feeding at the edge of the water's surface.