Fishing For Images

There is only one thing better than scoring the fish of a lifetime and that is capturing it as a stunning image.

Like a moment frozen in time photography has the ability to hold a that memory for life. For anglers who are becoming increasingly conservation minded and releasing a majority of what they catch photography is playing ever important role to record the moment. Not surprisingly there are more and more cameras finding their way onto fishing boats and tackle boxes.

The introduction of digital cameras has simplified things even further and now anyone from a four year old kid to a grandparent can get some spectacular images. In fact it would be fair to say that digital photography has even played a role in helping to change angler attitudes encouraging catch and release. These days more and more anglers are happy to get a photo and let the fish go as opposed to hanging them up on a gantry.

Despite the improvements in camera technology budding photographers still need to understand the basic fundamentals to get awesome images. At the end of the day technology can only do so much. So what do we do to make every picture magazine quality?

Spend the dollars on good equipment

The first step is to decide what you want to do. Do you just want to snap a few pics or do you wan to try and get pin sharp vibrant images full of colour. Either way there is no substitute for good equipment. If you use cheap gear then the odds are stacked against you before you start. In essences photography is the same as fishing the more you spend the better the gear and the easier it will be to achieve get good shots or catch the fish. No where is this more and important than with your lenses. However the best advice is still get the best camera you can afford.

When it comes to choices there are two options - compact or an SLR. Compact cameras have come a long way but in essences they are still a point and shoot camera. They are easy to use, inexpensive and great for shooting basic photography. However if you are serious and want to achieve the best possible images then there is only choice an SLR camera.

SLR cameras are certainly more complicated but this allows you to manipulate the settings to create some gallery style images. On the downside an SLR will cost a lot more and is far more bulky to carry. However you can buy different lenses for different jobs be it a wide angle for panoramic or a zoom lense. To get those amazing high flying marlin shots you see on the cover of the magazines then a fast zoom lense is your only option.

The lense is critical and if you have a limited budget buy the best quality lense you can afford and a cheaper camera body. There is simply no compensation for good glass. One way to tell is how heavy the lense is and a basic guide the lighter the lense the poorer quality glass that has been used. If you're going to spend up big anywhere do it on the lense first.

Learn how to use it

Spending the bucks on better quality camera gear is only part of it you still need to know how to use it. A photography course is great but its time consuming and unless it is small groups it can be a waste of time. Instead the easiest way to get started is to read through the instructions and then get out in the field and put it into practice. While it is near impossible for most men to read an instruction manual it really is vital especially with the more complicated SLRs. Always carry the instruction manual with you in the field too that way if something goes wrong you can refer to it.

In old days of film it really was a matter of trial and error and you never knew what you shot until it was process. Now it is a whole new ball game and you can instantly check your shot in the viewfinder. This means you will see any mistakes instantly and can rectify them be it out of focus over overexposed.

Grip and grin

The simplest style of photo is the classic 'grin and grip' pose with an angler holding his prized fish. As easy as it sounds it is amazing how many ways it can be stuffed up.

The best lense for the job is a wide angle one that is somewhere between 10 and 40mm, which allows you to get up close and personal with your subject while still allowing some depth of field. A wide angle lense is particularly handy in confined spaces like a trailerboat. Technically speaking the auto mode is pretty impressive on most cameras these days, but if you're serious you really need to have the confidence to shoot more advanced modes like shutter priority.

Shutter priority allows you to change the shutter speed while the camera automatically varies the aperture to suit. The aperture priority on the other hand allows you to manually adjust the aperture, while the camera automatically changes the shutter speed. It is really important that you have an understand of the relationship between these two settings if you want to create spectacular images.

Remember that you cannot hand hold a camera and shoot at less than 1/100 of a second without the issues of camera shake effecting the shot. Any shots with a slower shutter speed must be done off a tripod to keep the shot sharp and crisp and a boat is no place for a tripod so keep the shots higher than 125 of a second.

Fish look terrible in photos if they are dead so the key is to capture it while it is vibrant and full of colour. Fresh from the water the fish will make a much more appealing subject as opposed to a dull and dead one that has been sitting on the deck. Blood is a fact of life on a boat but it is distasteful so wipe the fish clean.

Composing the shot is vital and needs some for thought. First and foremost fill the frame with your subject, that is the angler and the fish. We are not interested in the back ground in many cases so don't make the subject a dot in the distance. Get in tight and fill the frame with the subject, not the background.

Also take the time to see what is behind the angler. Fishing rods or outriggers will detract from the subject and a clean blue background is much more appealing. Don't shoot back towards the cabin either this will make the image way too busy.

At the same time take note of where the sun and try to use any natural light to light up your subject. If you shoot facing into the sun without a fill flash you will end up with a black silhouette of your angler. Instead turn the boat around and use the light to your advantage. Get the angler out in the open so there are no shadows over them, pay particular attention to the subjects face. Be careful of your own shadow too particularly in the late afternoon when the sun is low. If its cloudy be patient and wait a few minutes till the sun breaks through.

Get your subject to hold the fish naturally and upright so that it looks as big as possible. Probably one of the most important thing to do is to get your subject smiling. Fishing is fun so make sure your 'model' is happy and excited. As smile says it all and a happy angler smiling makes a much better image. If your subject suffers from lockjaw then make a joke then a series of shots. The will often relax after the first one making the next few images much better. Bright colour clothing will make the angler and the fish stand out more. Finally keep the horizon straight irrespective of whether you are in a boat or on the shore it will balance the image.

In the action

There is nothing more spectacular than a marlin skyrocketing out of the water caught on camera in crisp detail. For the photographer capturing a fish mid air is one of the hardest but most rewarding styles of photography. A true moment in time that will never be repeated like the infamous shot of the deckhand being speared by a marlin. The rewards of achieving such an image are akin to a catching a once in a lifetime fish only better!

Have your camera set up on continuous shooting so the moment things happen just keep shooting like mad man. It is a numbers game, so the more images you shoot the better your chances of a cracker shot. At the same time you need a fast lense that will focus quickly to capture the action.

The complication with shooting faster shutter speeds is that it requires a super fast lense. Shooting at 1/1000 second or faster means you need to open up the aperture right up to F3.5 or better still F2.8 to let enough light in to balance the image. The problem is these lense aren't cheap, especially the zoom lenses employed for shooting the likes of marlin.

The key to being a good action photographer is about being prepared and always being one step ahead of the fish. Anticipating the fish's movements and pre-focusing the camera where you expect it to come up is a priority. This is a lot easier said than done and it really does take some practice. One trick that can work is to zoom out a bit to give you a wider view, and then zoom back in as the fish appears.

Don't just think marlin either, try a wide angle and get in close capturing the anglers expression as they hook up. The deck hand taking the wire is another great angle that can make for some amazing action

Be adventurous go wild

Don't just take photos of the fish. Fishing offshore has so much more to offer from dolphins jumping to albatross gliding over the waves. So don't hold back, take photos of everything to give yourself a complete visual memory of the trip.

The outdoor environment is possibly the worst place on earth to take your cameras so you need to protect them. There is nothing better than a waterproof hard case and although expensive they are a worthy investment that can handle all sorts of punishment. At the end of each trip especially when operating in saltwater always wipe them down with a damp towel then dry them off.

There is no right or wrong in photography and it is something that simply has no boundaries. Photography is an art form that, in this day and age where we are letting most things go, allows us to capture that moment in time forever. The ability to put down the rod and pick up the camera is half the battle!

Use a filter

A filter is another useful tool for photographer. A basic skylight filter will help protect your precious lenses from scratches while a polarizer is ideal for highlighting the colour in extreme light as well as seeing into the water.

Going underwater

When it comes to getting the best angles you simply can't beat getting down for a fisheye view. However to get the best view you have to join them and get wet.

With all the advancements in technology there is now a wide selection of underwater cameras. The price too has dropped and now you can get submersible compact cameras for as little as a few hundred dollars. Obviously the cheaper cameras can't offer the quality of an SLR but they are small enough to fit into your pocket.

If you still want the quality but don't want the bulk of an SLR then the next step up is a semi compact camera like a Canon G12 in a housing. Cameras on this level can produce shots that are publishable and also offers the advantage of producing raw files as well. This style of camera is easy to control underwater but still not as bulky as an SLR.

As easy as compact cameras are if you want the best images then the only option is an SLR in a full housing. The good news is you will get some amazing images however the gear isn't cheap. There are some great lightweight durable housing like Aquatech which are popular with the surf camera man.

Underwater photograph can get seriously complicated with multiple strobes, ports and all the other paraphernalia that goes with it. However for the most part it is a smarter approach to keep it simple. When shooting in the top fe metres of water you don't necessarily need flashes, instead you can compensate by increasing the ISO. In the old days of film you were stuck and didn't have the freedom to change at will, but now you can even do it underwater.

There are two ways to get underwater images. The first is to simply stick the camera underwater be it off the bank or over the side of the boat and then shoot blind. This works well for compact cameras but it is a bit of hit and miss trying to frame up the shot.

The other option is to jump in with the fish. There are obviously inherent dangers involved in doing this and photographers should be well aware of the potential risks. Again to simplify things don't run scuba equipment instead just free dive with snorkeling gear. This will give you far more freedom to move and capture that amazing shot.

Light is still the biggest influence effecting your image underwater but the issue of water clarity muddies things a bit more. The good news is that most offshore species live in crystal clear blue water which is ideally suited to photography. Dirty water is basically a waste of time for underwater photography unless it is real close up shots.

The best advice is to run big memory cards and shoot like crazy. The more pics you shoot the more likely you are to get a great shot of a big marlin boatside or a tuna being released.

- Al McGlashan