Capture a Good Fishing Shot Every Time with These Easy Steps

Alright, let’s talk about takin’ pictures of them fish you catch. You know, the ones you brag about to your buddies down at the diner? Yeah, those ones. I ain’t no fancy photographer, but I know a thing or two about gettin’ a good picture, the kind that makes them fish look even bigger than they really are, you know what I mean?

First off, you gotta hold that fish right. I seen folks holdin’ fish all kinds of wrong, like they’re tryin’ to strangle it or somethin’. Treat the critter with some respect, even if you’re gonna eat it later. Hold it gentle but firm, show off its good side. You want folks to see the whole fish, not just a blurry mess of fins and scales. And for goodness sake, keep your fingers outta its mouth, nobody wants to see that!

• Hold the fish horizontally
• Support its belly
• Show off its best features

Now, about that camera of yours. I ain’t sayin’ you need one of them fancy contraptions with all the buttons and dials. Even your phone can do a decent job these days. But if you wanna get a real good shot, somethin’ special, you gotta pay attention to a few things. Like that shutter speed. Them youngsters talk about it all the time, somethin’ about makin’ things blurry in the background. I guess that makes the fish stand out more, like it’s the star of the show. Makes sense, I reckon.

And where you take the picture matters too. Find yourself a shady spot. Sunlight can be tricky, makes everything too bright and washed out. You want nice, even light, so you can see all the details on that fish. Them fancy folks call it “consistent, detailed results”, I just call it lookin’ good. And avoid them dappled shadows, the ones that look like polka dots all over everything. Them just make a mess of things.

Some folks say you should have a special tank for takin’ pictures, all black or somethin’. I guess that makes the fish pop, like they say. If you got the space and the money, go for it. But if you’re like me, just work with what you got. Maybe find a nice clean background, somethin’ that ain’t too busy. You want folks lookin’ at the fish, not at a bunch of junk in the background.

Another thing them youngsters talk about is telling a story with your picture. Now, I ain’t no storyteller, but I get what they mean. Don’t just take a picture of the fish. Take a picture of you holdin’ the fish, grinnin’ like a fool. Take a picture of your buddy landin’ the fish, lookin’ all proud. Take a picture of the place where you caught it, showin’ off that pretty lake or river. That way, when you look at the picture later, you remember the whole day, not just the fish.

And don’t forget to take lots of pictures. Digital pictures don’t cost nothin’, so snap away. You’re bound to get at least one good one. And if you mess up, so what? Just delete it and try again. Ain’t no shame in that. Remember, it ain’t about bein’ a fancy photographer, it’s about capturing the moment, about showin’ off that fish you caught and tellin’ a little story about your day. So go on out there, catch yourself a big one, and take a picture that’ll make your buddies jealous. That’s all there is to it, simple as pie.

One last thing, if you’re using your phone, make sure you hold it steady. Nothin’ worse than a blurry picture ’cause your hands were shakin’. And if you can, zoom in a bit, fill the frame with that fish. Make it the star of the show, like I said before. And if you’re really fancy, you can try editing the picture later, make the colors pop, that kind of thing. But honestly, I don’t bother with all that. A good picture is a good picture, no matter how you slice it.

So there you have it, my two cents on takin’ fish pictures. Now go out there and catch yourself a whopper!

Tags: [Fishing Photography, Fishing Tips, Catch and Release, Outdoor Photography, Fish Pictures]