10 tips for making great fishing pics
Its fishing time, you have had this day planned for weeks and your pretty sure you have everything planned. You have visited the local tackle shop and stocked up with the latest tackle and bait, you have plenty of snacks and a good lunch to ensure you have all the energy you need to tackle any fish that comes your way and enough fluids to keep you well hydrated. Your all packed and ready to go…
Hang on what about the camera? Like my friends use to say: no picture, no fish! So it’s not only important to pack the camera but also know how to capture the perfect picture to post on Instagram or share with your friends stuck at work. After all you need the material to brag to the world right?
Below I want to share 10 tips for making great fishing pictures that are sure to have people liking, following or calling you to go with you next time.
1) Buy yourself a good camera
Digital cameras have become very affordable as prices on high-resolution cameras have plummeted while technology has improved. A single-lens reflex camera is ideal, but many point-and-shoot models can take phenomenal photos. Make sure the camera is set to take photos at high resolution.
2) The lighting is very important
When taking pictures, the sun should almost always be at your back, and beware of any shadows on the subject. It’s important to hold the fish at an angle that shows it to the camera and keeps it well lit by the sun. Using your flash at daytime, this can produce some great pictures.
3) Focus on the fish, not on the angler
The fish is the main actor on your picture, so make sure your auto-focus is focusing on the fish. True, the angler and the background are secondary players – but please make sure the angler is smiling and that there’s no visual obstacles in the back-ground.
4) Start with the automatic mode on your camera
You don’t need to mess with the fancy settings to get a good shot! For more control, try the nearly-automatic “program” mode, which allows you to control the flash. Learn a few of the camera’s presets for specific scenarios like action, macro, and low light photography if you want to experiment.
5) Keep the big picture in mind
What is going on in the background? Are there empty coffee cups and a cluttered console? Water makes a great background, but having the rod and reel, a lure, or a shoreline in the photo helps tell the story of how the fish was caught. Wash away all the blood from the fish and on the background (a tuna full of blood doesn’t look great on the picture), pictures full of blood aren’t attractive at all. Including the rod in a photo with an angler is great, as it shows what tackle was used. But too often, rods in the background are distracting, especially when “sticking out” of the angler’s head.
6) Use your flash
Use your flash, not just for low-light scenarios but also during daytime to fill in shadows. You should also always use it if there are shadows on the subject that cannot be avoided.
7) The Model 🙂
Tell the angler how to move and position his catch to get the best shot. Have the subject “model” the fish and work it, but try not to make it look too posed. It should seem as if the person isn’t aware that they’re being photographed.
8) Find new angles
To improve your photography, change up the perspective: Find new angles to shoot from. Get down low, get up high. Photos taken at an angle always look more dramatic than those taken straight on. Get in the habit of shooting vertically, not just horizontally. If you want your photo to be on the cover of a magazine, it has to be vertical!
9) Review Your Shots
After taking the first few photos, review them on your camera to make sure they’re coming out OK. Perhaps you need the fill flash, or perhaps you left the camera on the wrong setting the last time you used it. Correct any fundamental issues, then fire away. Don’t wait until the fish is onboard to start shooting – capture the action of the fight, the landing and the celebration to tell the complete story.
10) Look at the fish
The person holding the fish should almost always look at the fish, not the camera. It should seem as if the person is acting naturally and isn’t aware that they’re being photographed. They should look happy, not mean. Make sure the angler is smiling – tickle them, make a joke or whatever it takes. Fishing is supposed to be fun! Also, the person holding the fish, shouldn’t be smoking. Pictures of people with sunglasses can be great, but the face expressions of for example happiness are much more visible if you take off your sunglasses.
There you go, if you follow these basic 10 tips for making great fishing pictures you will have plenty of people noticing your next adventure with Rod and reel.
If your looking to head out on the fishing trip of a lifetime at your home town or next holiday adventure be sure to search the fishing charters we have listed on site. They are the best of the best in each destination so you can be assured of a great time and plenty of opportunities to put the tips mentioned above into action.
One last thing, head over to our Instagram page, give us a follow and like if possible and watch me putting these tips into action myself.
