Everyone loves to show off their big fish: some hand their phones around at work, and others post on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter; some print them out and frame them. Unfortunately, not everyone takes rockin’ fish photos. If you want to wow your friends, you should remember a few basic things when taking photos.
Keep Your Lens Clean
If you’re shooting into the sun, water spots on the lens will result in big, blurry spots. Specks of dirt or mud will also show up as blurry marks. You need to clean the lens on your phone now and then. On a real camera, you should invest a few bucks in a UV lens that screws over the actual camera lens. That way, any scratches are not fatal. You can replace the UV lens. First, blow away any loose dust with a soft brush to clean the lens. Do NOT rub a dusty lens with a lens cloth – the dust will scratch the glass. Scratches show up on photos, especially if the light hits the lens.
Once the loose dust is off, use a microfiber lens cloth to clean the lens. You can huff on it if you need to or even use a bit of water, but Modern Spartan Systems makes the best lens solution I’ve ever tried. Their Crystal Clear lens cleaner has been used commercially on high-value optics like cameras, night vision goggles, cockpits, and missile domes for years. It cleans even fingerprints off and lays down a nanolayer of polymers that protect the surface of the lens. It even refracts light, so you get an even higher definition image. It won’t damage the coatings or discolor and is also anti-fog. A little bottle will last you forever. Check it out at modernspartansystems.com.
Think Action
Nothing is as lame as a picture of a guy holding a fish with his arm stretched out toward the camera to make it look bigger. Seriously. Think action! Have your buddy take a few shots while you land that big bruiser. If your camera or phone has a burst mode, use it. This will take a series of shots just seconds apart, and you’re much more likely to get at least one perfect shot. Try swinging the fish aboard toward the photographer, or have him lean over the side of the boat and take a few shots as you lip the fish or scoop it up in the net. Straight-on shots can be boring. Have the photographer experiment. Have him get down low or up high. Put him on shore or the dock. If you have a once-in-a-lifetime fish, put that bad boy in the livewell after the first few shots and let him rest if you will be taking some more.
Watch The Background
I have taken tens of thousands of photos and am continually amazed at the weird stuff that shows up because I’m so focused on the fish and the angler that I forget to look at the background. I’ve had trees that look like they are growing out of guys’ heads, people doing peculiar things on boats, cigarettes, and the all-time most common thing: a slanted water line. A slanted shoreline is typical, but if the horizon is water at an angle, that looks weird. Sometimes it can be corrected by cropping and tilting, but sometimes if you try that, you cut off the fish or part of the fishermen before you can even out the water. Pay attention to what is BEHIND the angler.
Take Multiple Shots
I like burst mode, but it eats up memory. I use burst sparingly to avoid having my phone or camera tell me “no more” at a crucial moment. However, I still take multiple shots, even of the same pose. It’s way too easy to focus on the fish that you don’t even notice that the angler has a weird look on his face or that his hair is sticking up. Give yourself several choices when it comes to deciding which photo to share.
Pay Attention To Light
My favorite days are overcast. Clouds diffuse the light so that colors look great and there are no enormous dark and light contrasts. Dawn and dusk are also fabulous. Here in Arizona, however, overcast days are few and far between. If you face a guy into the sun so that you can see his face, he’s going to be squinting. Sometimes the sun glares off the fish. If you face the camera in the sun, you get the fish and the fisherman in shadow, which is not good either. You can force your camera to flash and fill in the shadow or put the fish in the livewell and move into the shade. I’ve done both.
Another thing that works well is to carry around something reflective. I keep a piece of white foam core board with me. That way, I can tilt it to reflect light onto the fisherman while his back is to the sun. I keep my lens in his shadow. This also works great for illuminating an angler’s face under his hat brim. Those darn hats! Sponsors love them but always cast a shadow over the angler’s face. Light him up!
Practice
This may sound like a lot to remember, but it only amounts to a bit of common sense and paying attention. One last plea: do NOT hold a big bass parallel to the water without supporting his tail. You could break his jaw. If you insist on a pose just holding a fish, please use both hands. You want her to be able to eat after you let her go, right? Next time you go out, practice taking a few shots even if you’re not catching big fish. That way, you’ll be ready when Big Bertha smacks your lure.
