Artistic pics of my tank by Aquatic Prints (Mitchell)

[mattdean]

Mitchell from aquaticprints.com came over and took pics of my tank, corals and fish. I'm very happy with the results.

He was great to work with and a very nice guy. Keep in mind, these are supposed to be artistic, not a true to life reproduction. This is what makes them special.

Here are a bunch of pics from the shoot.

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mitchfts.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/ftsangle.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/reflection.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mandyfaviakiss.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/featherforest.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/rainbowacan.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/acanyumazoa.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/clownsintorch.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mandymacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/blueyface.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/orangeacanmacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/brain2.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/bluetip.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/birparadise.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/bnestzoas.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/acanmacro2.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/freckles.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/hammermacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/pinkyumamacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/pinkblueacan.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/neonchalice.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/clammacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mitchlazy1.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/montimacro.jpg

[mattdean]

http://www.mattdean.com/build/faviapinkmacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mitchbetty.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/zoafocus.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/redplanet.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/sandy.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/frogmacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/zoamacro.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mitchpocillipora.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mitchbeauty.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/zoamacro2.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/sunny.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/brain2.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/mitchlazy2.jpg

http://www.mattdean.com/build/turquoise.jpg

[BMahura]

Ive never seen pictures this beautiful
Great shots!!

[mattdean]

I've always thought my tank was exceptionally beautiful, but the way Mitch approaches shooting gives a whole new dimension to the beauty in the tank. I wonder how often we truly admire the individual corals and fish and really appreciate their beauty.

[Beverly]

Simply - wow!

[BlueTang<3]

Yeah thats really cool and wicked pics only if I could get pics like that. You will have desktops for life.

[Lampshade]

wow, very nice.

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

those are simply amazing photos :jaw:

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Ooooooooo, the colours. The colours.

Acid flashbacks. :mrgreen: Lovely corals & fish you have there. Even if they are digitally enhanced, the originals are still looking extremely healthy and beautiful.

Anthony

[Mitchell]

Glad you like them Matt. Thanks for the comments folks

[fishoholic]

Very nice :thumb:

[lorenz0]

meh, there are some really nice shots there.... to bad he molested the **** out of them with photoshop.

[reefermadness]

No offense here but personally I think they are beautiful enough naturally and not needed to be enhanced or artistic. It's cool but I guess I feel that they are exotic enough when they are true to life shots. IMO anyway.

They are very nice pics and lovely subjects though.

[Sunee]

Great pics!

[Brightwhite]

Eye candy! Great shots and stunning tank!

[Lance]

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

[Nano]

your tank is PERFECT! how old is it?

[mattdean]

Thanks! The tank is 2 years old, However, I changed all the corals a little more thana year ago. All the sps were 1 inch frags no more than a year ago. Some only 6 months. I'm getting really good growth.

[mattdean]

meh, there are some really nice shots there.... to bad he molested the **** out of them with photoshop.

Well, this is why I said they were "artisitic" this was his vision". I like them. I have lots of "normal" pics of my tank. It's nice to get a different point of view on the beauty in the tank.

[staceyd72]

Very nice tank, some great photos for sure.
Over exposure, over saturated, etc, IMO are not 'artistic'; for me, having a balance would be more 'artistic' and show the photographer's true skill.
As long as you're happy with the results, that's all that matters :smile:

Cheers

[SkunkClown]

I think these are fantastic! Certainly what is "artistic" to one person isn't to another.

Personally I like this kind of enhancement. I am an artist myself, mostly wildlife painting. I'm not really capable of being creative I mostly just reproduce photos. I really admire the creativity in these photos!

My favorite is the side view of the mandarin dragonet. Just curious, is he eating prepared/frozen foods?

[mattdean]

Thanks. That is my favorite pic as well. It's my screen saver for my 2nd monitor.

I WISH it ate prepared foods! No, just pods. I haven't gone out of my way to try and train him, but I may think about it. I am seeding the rock in my sump with pods, as well as dumping them in the display every now and then, just to be sure.

Cheers

[sumpfinfishe]

I do landscape photography and I'm more of a naturalist, however there is true art in working with both camera and photoshop, not to mention some of the compositions are outstanding-well done!
Beautiful corals and fish too, looks like a happy reef to me!

[mattdean]

Yes, it is a happy reef. I am blessed to have a smooth running tank with happy healthy livestock and corals. I will have a video posted in a few days. I'm looking forward to sharing :)

[SkunkClown]

Well your dragonet looks very healthy! I have one as well and he ate brine shrimp at the lfs then was not interested in our tank. He has about 250lbs of live rock to graze on though! I find they are such slow eaters. I try to target feed him but by the time he decides he might want to eat it the other fish gobble it up! We have some ravenous dwarf angels and a tomini tang. He seems to be getting enough food from the live rock.

Love your marine betta too!

[mattdean]

Thanks. The mandarin has no interest in anything but hunting pods, unfortunately. I am worried about him starving, so I am constantly seeding the sump and dumping pods in the DY. It's getting expensive:redface:

[SkunkClown]

Maybe you have tried this but mine seems to like frozen bloodworms! I just tried feeding him with a turkey baster and he gobbled them up. It helps to turn off the power heads.
I just bought some live copepods. 24 bucks for a small bottle :sad:

[mattdean]

I'll try that. I'm due for some new frozen food anyway. Yeah, pods are expensive. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to keep up with the demand on pods, but I'll try!

[ScubaSteve]

Build a "pod pile". Simply make a pile of rubble in the back of the tank somewhere to act as a refuge for the pods. Squirt food in there from time to time and you'll have a pod factory! I did that and had the fattest mandarin who only ate pods.

Wicked photos by the way.

[mattdean]

Thanks Steve,

I have rocks in my overflow, in my sump and very porous rock in the DT. I don't really have a place in the DT for a pod pile - it's a peninsula and I'm a little anal about the layout. :)

I am trying to seed the fuge more in hopes of building a good base. The problem is having wrasses that also hunt pods.

[ScubaSteve]

I just hid a pile of rubble between two of my big display rocks. Never saw the pile. And I bet I'm even more anal that you :razz:

[mattdean]

I bet I'm even more anal that you :razz:

THAT would be an accomplishment!!:lol:

I'll see what I can do.