Hints and Tips: Photography

I'm still waiting for something worth photographing this year! Not that I'm an expert, but I do appreciate an attractive picture. The US fishing magazines have some great photographs, its a pity that we get so many average snaps published in the UK magazines. With a little care, and average snap can become a great photo. But don't let this put you off sending photos with catch reports - this isn't a photography competition. Or maybe it is, perhaps I'll award a prize for the photo I like best in this year's reports!

Here's some tips from a "How To" article I read:

Do:

• Take a photo in the natural environment - on a beach, or on the water
• Have the sun behind you if it is bright
• Use flash if the light is not great or if the sun is so bright there is a lot of shadow around the subject
• Look happy, even if the fish is small
• Take photos of live or very fresh fish
• Take action photos - as fish are landed, released, or unhooked
• Take loads of shots and keep the best - digital is free
• Clean up before a photo - wash off blood and muck if possible
• Look as tidy as possible yourself - a scruff holding a fish doesn't make a great photo
• Have an interesting background
• Take time to take a good photo. I'm the worst culprit here, I can't wait to get back to the fishing!
  

Don't:

• Do the the opposite of all the Dos (obviously)
• Squint into the sun
• Wear sunglasses either. Better not to face the sun if it's that bright
• Photograph long dead fish in your back garden
• Hold the fish out in front of you to make it look bigger. We all know that trick.
• Stand there like a sentry holding a fish across your chest. Try a different pose, like sideways on, leaning, looking up at the camera
• Have a distracting background, like kids bouncing around or underwear on a washing line