Not long ago, I was sent a picture of a very large brown trout.
Caught on a fly in a local creek, this fish was fat as a pig, hump-backed, and more than 25 inches long, measured.
The thing about it was that it actually looked as if it was more than two feet long. Not all photographs of really big fish provide a good idea of the fish’s true dimensions. You’ll see a 20-inch bass that you’d swear couldn’t possibly be more than 15 inches, and there will be shots of similar size fish that make them look big enough to eat the iceberg that sank the Titanic.
I don’t like the style of photo with the fish pushed out toward the camera, making it appear far bigger than it really is, like those two-ton wild boars and 200-pound coyotes that used to show up on the Internet. What is your goal? In my mind, I’m looking for an accurate representation of the fish I caught. That’s why we try to measure especially good fish, although that is not always easy when you release all or almost all of your catch, as many trout and bass fishermen do.
I have a lot of fish pictures, even if I don’t catch many trophy-size fish. Having that photo helps you relive the adventure. The problem is, again, that many of the photos don’t live up to the reality. You’re telling your buddy that this fish was 17 inches long, and in the photo it looks like it is maybe 13. Very disappointing. Of course, many such photos are taken under duress, one-handed, sometimes at night, with a cell phone that you’re afraid might drop into the water. I do have a few good portraits of very nice catches when I was lucky enough to have someone else along.
You might get bad photos no matter what. We’ve all seen pictures of squirming fish, flying fish, muddy fish, and weedy fish. Some of them are funny, and some of them really do tell a story, but they don’t do a good job of documenting the catch. I’ve taken a few photos and videos – and videos also are a great way to preserve memories – with the fish still fighting on the line, but that’s a chancy art. It is a good bet you’ll lose the fish or the camera, or, if you have my kind of luck, both.
In the last few years, head-first shots have become popular, especially on magazine covers. I like them, but the angle tends to make the fish look gigantic, especially with longish species like pike and muskies. If the fish was indeed huge, great. If not, I think you are just playing tricks, but that’s okay, too.
In any case, there are a few basics to know that can help you take better on-the-water pictures. Many of the following come from Bob Lewis, my frequent angling partner for 50 years. Bob is a professional fishing guide and skilled photographer. He has taken hundreds if not thousands of hero and art shots while on the job. He shoots mostly with an SLR camera, but also with a cell phone. I’m guessing most anglers take their pictures with cell phones now, but most of the principles are the same.
So, here are some thoughts from Bob, other experts, and me:
Get close to the subject. We tend to think we are close enough, and almost always aren’t.
Fill the frame with angler and fish. You don’t want a lot of boat clutter or irrelevant background in the picture, unless they play into the story, which they sometimes do.
Generally speaking, the shooter should have his or her back to the sun. (I like that term, “shooter.” News photographers like to call themselves “shooters,” I guess because it sounds dashing and a bit dangerous. That’s funny, because in more than 40 years in journalism I never met a dashing or dangerous news photographer. I can hear them all screaming now.)
The basic shot is with the fish held out a bit from the middle of the angler’s chest, with hands under the head and down toward but not on the tail. The backbone line of the fish should be tipped slightly toward the camera, the hands should show as little as possible or not at all, and the shooter should focus on the eye of the fish.
You don’t have to center the angler and fish, and it is often better if you don’t.
If you want the fish to look rather small –as if anyone did – hold it in to your chest. If you want to convince friends that an average fish is a beast, push it as far as you can toward the camera.
Try different angles – from the left and right, from above and below, even over the shoulder. Try that snout-first shot . Maybe take one of those artsy shots – a close up of the head or tail of the fish, or maybe shots from behind or from the front as the fish is being released.
This is being done as quickly as possible if you are releasing fish. Bob doesn’t like the fish to be out of the water for more than 15 seconds, so if the process is taking longer, he has the angler dip the net and fish into the water for a while. Still, he advises taking as many photos as you can click off in a short time.
The angler should wear or add some colors. This goes against fishing logic, since we are told to wear natural shades, but a red bandana, an orange fly line, or a bright cap will give the photo more life.
The angler should remove his or her sunglasses and tilt his or her cap back. If anyone wants to see his or her face, that is.
Bob is big on prepping, and actually has his clients practice photos beforehand. He keeps his camera and the client’s cell phone at the ready under his rowing seat, and he has clients practice posing with a fish pillow. When the time comes, everyone is ready to go.
You can put a net under the fish so if things get a little hairy, the fish remains relatively unharmed rather than bouncing around the bottom of the boat or flipping around on a muddy bank.
Again, if the whole thing is taking too long, you might think about reviving the fish and trying to find one that is a little less hyper, even if 24-inch trout and bass and 50-inch muskies are not every day occurrences.
Also, pay attention to the world around you. You might want to take a photo or a massive hatch of mayflies, or an eagle or osprey, some bright flowers, or a big sycamore along the shore. Fishing is about more than just catching fish. Take a picture of your partner casting, or maybe tying on a lure. As Tim Romano of Field & Stream advises, tell a story, not just part of one.
On some days, of course, you hit the jackpot and you are so busy catching fish you don’t have time for a photo. That’s okay, too.
Write to John Pitarresi at 60 Pearl Street, New Hartford, N.Y. 13413 or jcpitarresi41@gmail.com or call him at 315-724-5266.
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