10 Rules for Taking Better Fish Pictures

The 10 Rules for Taking Fish Pictures today on the Headhunters LFy Shop Fly Fihsing Blog.

We all love to have fish pictures from our trip. Why not take better fish pictures.

Below is a list of ways to get better photos and images of not only the fish you catch but the scenery and wildlife as well.

Also a few ways to reduce injury to the trout in the process.

10 Rules for Taking Better Fishing Pictures

1. Fish out of the water cannot breathe. The 1st rule. Take caste when you have the fish out of the water. 10 seconds is long enough. The best way to take photos is if you get out of the boat. If the fish drops while you are handling it the trout just drops into the water. That is a good thing. Fish in the bottom of the boat is not always a good thing. Eagle bait.
2. Use the flash to eliminate hat shadows. We call it the magazine style. Lights up the fish and the angler. Fool around with it. You may have to underexpose the flash. If you can or know how to do that with your camera. Try it, you may like it.
3. Show some dimension. Flat fish look flat. Angle the nose towards the camera. The fish has dimension now and can look better to the eye.
4. Extend if you want it to look bigger. The fish will look larger if you extend your arms fully toward the camera therefore making your body look smaller and poof! big fish pictures. You friends may give you shit for employing this technique. But we don’t care, it’s your picture!
5. Forget the background. We want to see the fish. Get separate scenery pictures.
6. Take some scenery shots. You, and your wife, and your friends want to see something beyond just more 16″ Rainbow Trout shots. Pics of the mountains, eagles, muskrats, your drunk buddies, the restaurant, the bar, and some interesting things along the way. it makes your portfolio far more interesting.
7. Keep your camera outside of the dry bag outside of the dry compartment. Keep it out so you can use it. Most, many, nearly all anglers protect their camera like it is one of their worldly possessions. Remember it cost less than the fly rod you are whipping around whacking off of the oar…so keep it in your pocket, on the gunwale, in the bow…OUT! Just do it and use your camera. Nobody ever got any cool shots with the camera locked under your seat. The best photographers use their cameras. They push the button a lot.
8. When sending pics to your friends, family, websites for publishing make sure they are in focus. Out of focus images suck. Do not subject your friends to this kind of pain. They will all appreciate it.
9. Experiment with the camera and different angles. Take picture looking straight at the fish, kissing the fish, releasing the fish, from behind, half in the water. Fool around and find your own style.
10. Focus on the eyeball. I think I mentioned Brian Grossenbacher told me this. His wife told it to him. Focus on the eye of the fish and everything else falls into place.

There you have it. 10 Tips for Taking Better Fishing Photos. Use a few of them and you will improve. We all can improve. Use all of them and you can quit your day job and become a photographer…I think?

Enjoy fishing and recording your trip. It is fun to send photos to family and friends and reliving our travels throughout the years. Enjoy the trip and then enjoy it again.