That's My Story

TAKING BETTER FISHING PHOTOS
By no means am I a trained photographer. I can’t tell you an F-stop from film speed for the most part. I’m the fishing guy. I take people fishing and diving, but I’ve been writing fishing articles for years and several hundred of my photos have been published in numerous publications so I kind of have a feel for what works and what doesn’t. I often get photos submitted to me as well for publication and there’s a few things that you can do to improve your own personal fishing or outdoor photos!
Your Camera
Cameras are so much more affordable all the time. Features that were only found on the best cameras are now commonplace. So much of the camera is now automated that if you just turn the camera to “auto” it seems to do just about all the work for you. However, use the best camera you can afford. That does not mean buying a camera with every bell and whistle known to man! Some of my inexpensive cameras have tons of features on them that I NEVER use. It’s nice to have them, but don’t confuse yourself either. Learn the basics and you’ll be fine! So many of the cameras are so good now that you can take shots that only a pro could have taken 10 years ago. By the same token, disposable cameras are nice and handy, but listen, if you use a 5 dollar camera you’ll get a 5 dollar photo!
Digital vs. Film
I take hundreds of photos a week sometimes. I make copies for clients. I send out copies to friends and numerous shots to magazines and newspapers. The cost of film and developing used to be astronomical. With digital cameras I simply use and re-use the chips over and over. I download things to my computer. I burn them to a disc. For the computer phobic, this sounds like Martian, but believe me, it’s really incredibly user friendly to have a digital camera! Depending on the size of the chip you put in the camera and the resolution, you can literally hold hundreds of photos in the camera! Also, for you high-end folks, the newer models are as good as any high-end pro or semi-professional SLR camera these days! In terms of how many mega-pixels you want in a digital camera, I’d get one that has AT LEAST 2-3 megapixel capacity. In short, the higher the megapixel rating, the better resolution you’ll get out’ve your photos. I personally use cameras with 3-5 megapixels, but that’s also because many of my photos will be submitted for publication plus I like to print out 8 x 10 photos. If all you’re going to do is put photos through the internet, even a 1-2 megapixel camera will work.. If you’re planning to print photos out, then the 2-3 megapixel is best.
If you’re sticking with film, a simple point-and-shoot model works fine. However, below you’ll find some tips on actually taking and making better shots! If your camera has the ability to use different film speeds, use film made for bright lighting conditions. The most versatile film would be 100-200 speed. If I’m shooting for fast action like a dorado jumping, 400 speed is best. However, if mostly what you’re doing is people holding fish and “still action” you’ll get good resolution with the 100-200 speed film

Actually Taking the Photos

1. Center your shot – Seems fairly obvious, but I see so many photos with heads or fish chopped off. Try to put your subject in the center of the viewfinder before pushing the shooter button.
2. Fill the viewfinder – Try to put as much of your subject into the whole photo you see in your viewfinder. It makes for a much more dramatic shot when it’s close up! If the subject is your son holding his first tuna, you don’t need to see 10 boats behind him, the islands and the beach. Put him and his fish into the viewfinder!
3. Hold the fish so that you see it’s flanks – Fish are best viewed from the sides with colors gleaming, not from the top or bottom. Also, if you plan to submit it to your favorite magazine or newspaper, wash off the blood and goop. Even if not, it still makes for a more handsome photo.
4. The fresher the fish the better the photo – A photo of a fish just out of the water is much prettier and has better colors than a fish that has been sitting in the ice chest or fish box all day.

If you ever want to chat fishing or need fishing, diving or hotel reservations give me a call at 626-333-3355, or check out the website at www.Tailhunter-International.com or e-mail me at riplipboy@aol.com.