5 Tips for Taking Better Pictures of Trophy Fish
Tip #1: Be aware of your lighting and shadows.
Lighting and shadows are the most important elements to control when taking a quality picture. Obviously, catching that trophy fish cannot always happen during the most optimal times of daylight. Avoid shooting directly into the sun because this can cause a harsh shadow along the subject’s face and body. One way you can prevent shadows on sunny days is to use your flash, which will fill in the dark spots of your subject and prevent the person from being completely in silhouette while the rest of the image is bright. Make sure that your subject removes his/her sunglasses and raises his/her hat up to avoid shadows. Try taking pictures with and without flash on overcast days. These days, most digital cameras have a cloudy day option.
Tip #2: Use a tripod.
Of course there are many times you don’t feel like carrying around a tripod with you. However, this handy tool is important for preventing photos that are out of focus. When taking pictures of fish, most people cannot hold the camera still long enough for the fish to stop flopping around. This makes for a very blurry photograph. Most tripods are less than $60, which makes it a smart investment.
Tip #3: Get close to what you are photographing.
Make sure to fill the picture area with the subject you are photographing. This helps to show more color and details of the fish in your photograph. Spawning colors of a Rainbow Trout or defined spots and a hook jaw of a male Brown Trout are distinguishing characteristics that should be captured in a quality photograph. Be conscious not only of what you are intending to photograph but what may be behind the scene of the picture. When people are admiring your trophy fishing photo, you want them to stay focused on you and your catch. Be aware of objects like an old rusty wash machine in the river, old corn cans laying on the bank, or “No Trespassing” signs in the background, which can negatively affect the quality of the experience, even when you have permission to fish private waters.
Tip #4: Show the fish, not your fingers.
This photograph is the moment of truth. The worst thing you can do is catch a trophy fish and have a photograph of nothing but the head of the fish and all your fingers. The best advice here is to put the net in between your legs, wet your hands, and gently reach in to grab the fish. Place one thumb long the top of the head and the other thumb just above where the tail begins. Wrap your fingertips along the bottom of the gill plates to the belly and along the end of the belly toward the tail. After you have control of the fish, extend your arms to whoever is taking the photograph. If the fish gets jumpy, you can just lower the fish back into the net, and repeat the previous steps.
Tip #5: Take more than one picture.
Once the fish is secured in the net, take a few shots of the angler holding the fish. Make sure you get several pictures from different angles that include the angler and some that are just of the fish. Some of these shots can include capturing the angler just before he/she releases the fish back into the water or a macro shot of the fly hanging out of the fish’s mouth. The goal here is to get a variety of different pictures to use in just case some are not as quality as others. Usually, the best pictures are the ones that are not staged so try taking some when the subject is not aware that they are being photographed.
Remember that we are practicing “Catch & Release” so use good judgment when handling the fish, and try to keep them in the water as much as possible.
To enter your trophy photo in our “Fish of the Month Challenge,” email us at bstrickland@davidsonflyfishing.com!
