Don't be fooled...Please.

[therman]

I would like to point out that thousands (millions?) of Indonesian kids have seen more coral in a few seconds swimming than anyone who has not left the U.S.* has seen in their entire lives.

Thanks for the great thread Scott! Lots of valid points and rational discussion.

*excludes Hawaii and U.S. territories

 

[uniquecorals]

I would like to point out that thousands (millions?) of Indonesian kids have seen more coral in a few seconds swimming than anyone who has not left the U.S.* has seen in their entire lives.

Thanks for the great thread Scott! Lots of valid points and rational discussion.

*excludes Hawaii and U.S. territories

Excellent point...who could disagree with that? Oh, wait, I shouldn't have asked...:neutral:

 

[Opus]

Next thing they do to make a sale is to line up a few hot babes models next to the coral as in the car industry.
And some of us thinking if the Super Neon Pink ******* are real!!..............just saying.
The rule of thumb is that you can show only two picks, 1) under 20K and 2) under 14k, we all know what we dealing with.
Any other kelvin color schedule or no mention of a schedule at all must raise a red flag.

Don't some vendors already do that at MACNA!

 

[Aquarium Art]

This thread is spicy , good thing that we have feedback of clients saying that coral looks better then picture ... There's nothing like getting positive review from a client when they receive there corals from us . We take our pics under ecoexotic panorama . And not every one has LED . One thing I suggest vendors is to post what type of lighting they are using to be clear from the beginning that way the client know from the start

 

[gacolt]

this is a great thread.one of the main reason i dont buy corals online anymore is extreme photoshop.another thing i see is people using polarized glasses when they take pics which gives detail and color that the eye can not see.

 

[Eienna]

I usually prefer piccking out my coral in person, and not just because of the shipping charges. I'd feel pretty good trusting you guys, though.

 

[FishLipz]

...

 

[tyler1503]

Nice write up!
It's always entertaining and educational to hear a good rant on R2R

 

[uniquecorals]

This thread is spicy , good thing that we have feedback of clients saying that coral looks better then picture ... There's nothing like getting positive review from a client when they receive there corals from us . We take our pics under ecoexotic panorama . And not every one has LED . One thing I suggest vendors is to post what type of lighting they are using to be clear from the beginning that way the client know from the start

There's an "Amen" there for you somewhere! Data is important for consumers, vendors, and the hobby in general!

 

[DogueDeBordeaux]

I also think it is great to bring this subject up for discussion.

What I hate is going to events like MACNA, and various meets/swaps only to view frags under dim blue LEDs.

 

[Aquarium Art]

I also think it is great to bring this subject up for discussion.

What I hate is going to events like MACNA, and various meets/swaps only to view frags under dim blue LEDs.

LOL mainly Zoas

 

[benny z]

What a great thread!

I was hired to shoot photos of some really amazing corals for this very reason - because I go out of my way to represent the corals I aim my camera at as accurately as possible. I know the importance of this not only for the seller, but for the buyer. Years ago I was duped myself a few times, and because of that I have vowed to ensure that every image I post is represented as seen in person. I double-verify the image is correct on the most standardized display platform currently on the market - Apple's "Retina" display. I do this with the final image from my iPad or iPhone, holding the device right up next to the coral I've just imaged before posting it. When friends come to my house, I ask them if what they are seeing in person is the same as what they've seen in my images online. The answer every time thus far has been a resounding "yes!", without hesitation.

I don't claim to be the best photographer in the industry, but I will claim all day long that my images are 100% accurate as to how they look in person. It doesn't matter what lighting is used. If you want to see how the coral looks under blue/purple-only T5s, I can show you that. Same with halide and LED - whatever the corals are shot under, and how they look under that lighting in person, is how they look in my images. My preference is actually to shoot under LED, as I can dial in a pretty natural spectrum in regards to a white/blue blend that is pleasing, and requires no color editing, and certainly no saturation editing, in post processing.

Cheers!

 

[uniquecorals]

What a great thread!

I was hired to shoot photos of some really amazing corals for this very reason - because I go out of my way to represent the corals I aim my camera at as accurately as possible. I know the importance of this not only for the seller, but for the buyer. Years ago I was duped myself a few times, and because of that I have vowed to ensure that every image I post is represented as seen in person. I double-verify the image is correct on the most standardized display platform currently on the market - Apple's "Retina" display. I do this with the final image from my iPad or iPhone, holding the device right up next to the coral I've just imaged before posting it. When friends come to my house, I ask them if what they are seeing in person is the same as what they've seen in my images online. The answer every time thus far has been a resounding "yes!", without hesitation.

I don't claim to be the best photographer in the industry, but I will claim all day long that my images are 100% accurate as to how they look in person. It doesn't matter what lighting is used. If you want to see how the coral looks under blue/purple-only T5s, I can show you that. Same with halide and LED - whatever the corals are shot under, and how they look under that lighting in person, is how they look in my images. My preference is actually to shoot under LED, as I can dial in a pretty natural spectrum in regards to a white/blue blend that is pleasing, and requires no color editing, and certainly no saturation editing, in post processing.

Cheers!

Excellent feedback, Benny! Thanks for the information. It will be almost impossible for the industry to agree on some kind of "standard", but it is a nice step if vendors discuss the lighting conditions under which their corals are kept and photographed. More information can only help the consumer.

 

[ReefPiracy]

I find all photo from cars to bikes to coral show things you don't see in person. Great for marketing.

 

[buzzword]

I think someone (paphioland) is a bit upset because you called those photoshoppers out and he/she is one of the probably worst perpetrators. And hey at least I know who is ranting and making their opinions known; Scott, and not hiding behind their screen name. Hiding because they most likely don't want to loose more business.
Thanks for the rant, I love em!
Greg Busby
Not hiding behind my screen name.

 

[TJ's Reef]

Well Scott, this thread certainly has become quite entertaining as of late. Irrational people amuse to me to no end........ Reading this from a non-involved position gives me a new perspective on how it reads to other browsing some of the LED threads that I get so caught up in. Which gives me hope that many of the illogical or uneducated apposing viewpoints posts are seen for what they are. Like you Scott, I really do respect apposing viewpoints well spoken or my opinions intelligently rebuked.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Reefnjunkie]

Can I add my educational 2 cents to this?

although Kate Upton is a great choice I would prefer nina agdal. .


That's all I got.

I would prefer Annette over any of them.
Annette, give me a call. :kiss:

Thats some funny stuff there.

This thread make me think of that Japanese carton Pokemon with that one character :sad: you know the one, and the character I'm thinking about was who, whats that name.....

.
.
.
.
I think the character was Ash, ya thats it Ash-What did you think I was going to type :scared:

 

[cultivatedcoral]

Great post Scott. I find it even more funny that the fanboys come out and respond to these ridiculously photoshopped pictures in the vendors thread just gushing over them. They say oh please unload my wallet and bank account for a coral that will never look like the picture in person. Please, oh please charge me $2,000 for that scoly because it truly must have every color in the rainbow like the picture portrays. Yeah right.

I could care less when fools and their money depart but it gives the whole hobby a black eye and is uncalled for. I hope these vendors sleep well at night knowing they are taking advantage of people and then come here and try to make jokes.

 

[Jimbo]

Great post Scott. I find it even more funny that the fanboys come out and respond to these ridiculously photoshopped pictures in the vendors thread just gushing over them. They say oh please unload my wallet and bank account for a coral that will never look like the picture in person. Please, oh please charge me $2,000 for that scoly because it truly must have every color in the rainbow like the picture portrays. Yeah right.

I could care less when fools and their money depart but it gives the whole hobby a black eye and is uncalled for. I hope these vendors sleep well at night knowing they are taking advantage of people and then come here and try to make jokes.

Yeah, what is it with the "Fanboys"on some of these Vendor threads? It's getting so I don't know what is legitimate praise for a vendor and what is just people hyping a vendor for whatever reason. I don't think it's as clear as some think as to who are the photo shoppers and who are the Chop Shops out there.

I'm assuming some sponsors of this site fall into this category? I find myself guessing as to who you guys are talking about but I'm never 100% sure.....

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Yeah, what is it with the "Fanboys"on some of these Vendor threads? It's getting so I don't know what is legitimate praise for a vendor and what is just people hyping a vendor for whatever reason. I don't think it's as clear as some think as to who are the photo shoppers and who are the Chop Shops out there.

I'm assuming some sponsors of this site fall into this category? I find myself guessing as to who you guys are talking about but I'm never 100% sure.....

Not sure Scott had anyone in particular in mind (though some people are definitely throwing out conspiracy theories). The problem with over Photoshopped corals is that it's a hobby-wide issue with guilty parties at every level--from the biggest vendors (and wholesalers) to the hobbyists at frag swaps. It's something that people at every level are doing...and its shameful at every level.