Pelican memory card case
I am griping about grip-and-grin fish photos in this installment of Shoot to Thrill. We all know that I am little buggy about trophy photographs, whether it be mammal, fowl or this time of year – fish. I’d like to share a few tips with you about getting some great fish trophy photos that will become treasured family portraits, rather than just snapshots.
There are 3 basic types of fish trophy photos: in the water, out of the water and harvest. Each type comes with its own challenge and each with some simple things to remember.
Beautiful shot of trout by Gretchen Steele.
Always think conservation before creativity. Some fish, such as the huge sturgeons, should never be removed from the water, and in fact it may not be legal to so. In that case you are going to have to don your waders, and work out into the water to do the photographing. If you absolutely are not going to wade out into the water, use a wider angle lens to capture the angler gently floating the fish on the surface. Remember that in all fish photos it’s best to have the sun at the photographer’s back or at 45 degree angle and as always – sunglasses off – hat brims up – we want to see those smiling faces! If you have fill flash available, it can be invaluable during bright sunny days.
It’s important to be conservation minded when doing catch-and-release fish out-of-water photos. The angler should always have wet hands when handling the fish, and keep it out of water no longer than absolutely necessary. The rule of thumb I use is no longer than I can hold my breath. Hold the fish properly for the species, some can be held lip style, some should have their whole body supported. At all costs avoid the dreaded grip and grin, with the fish held straight out in front of the angler in death grip with both hands , yes, it makes the fish look larger , but it’s a trick we are all on to and it also makes the anglers hands look abnormally large. I ask the angler to bend her arms at a 45, with elbows touching her sides or abdomen. That still gives a good separation of fish and angler yet doesn’t make things seem disproportionate.
Taylor Farrar — the man, the truck, the boat, the bowfin!
Harvest – If your fish are going to be harvested, you have a bit more leeway. You can actually take the time to clean up the fish and the angler and get a little creative with posing. Have the angler admire her catch for the day, arrange the tackle combination used alongside the fish, get in close. You still need to remember to work fast and keep the fish wet. The longer the fish is out of water, the more the colors begin to fade. You want to capture those sparkling drops of water on a brightly colored fish.
Don’t just limit yourself to trophy photos when fishing, snap photos throughout the trip of anglers casting, close ups of rods, reels, bows, netting a fish. Capture the memories of the entire trip!
You can win a Pelican memory case if you provide the winning caption for this photo of Ashley Allison and her carp from a bowfishing trip.
Gretchen: Good advice on G&G pics. Folks are so used to smiling at the camera that it’s tough to get them to look at the fish. I like to change the angle of the fish, too – point a toothy mouth at the camera, or as you did with Allison – point a puckerpuss at a pretty face.
Here are two caption entries:
Pucker up, sweetheart. You just hurt me a lot more than a little kiss will hurt you!
OR
Pretend you’re enjoying this, honey. Your first kiss will be my last!
Dan I have taken many toothy fish grins – sometimes they sort of scare people LOL especially if it’s a big gar or bowfin ๐
“You just shot me with a freakin arrow… I don’t think you can kiss it and make it better… I see the light!!! Going to the light!!!”
Ha WOW Gretchen, I feel honored. Unfortunatly I can’t think of a good enough caption for this, since it’s me and I KNOW what that fish was thinking!!! ๐
ROFL – that fish was thinking- who gave that girl a bow – we’re all done for now! ๐
OK, no open mouth kissing, and don’t slip me the tongue or it’s all off.
James!! I am surpirised at you! tut tut.. and I am not kissing any carp this weekend – flying or otherwise!
Wow… He looks like my last boyfriend when he was trying to kiss me.
ALWAYS have to kiss your first fish, duck, goose..and so on and so on…
I agree wholeheartedly with you Gretchen and raise you this: any ‘grip-n-grin’ is too much.
Read my article on, ‘Lip Grip is Out!’, ( http://ofsjournal.ofieldstream.com/2009/06/19/lip-grip-is-out/ ) and you’ll see why we’re lucky to have the bass populations we do. This is a long-time-running trend that needs to be stopped… Yesterday.
I will also add another point for NOT doing the G-n-G: it’s just. plain — BAD.
B – Blatant disrespect
A – Agitation without reason
D – Destructive at all levels
Such _BAD_ displays – by people representing the Outdoor Heritage – do more harm than all the anti-activity could ever hope to enlist. Those opposed to the Outdoor Heritage and bent toward destroying it, simply love it when we implode from within; and we do it so publicly, with such gusto.
As you said, it is – very unfortunately – not limited only to fishing. We have some very _BAD_ examples on all levels of the Outdoor Heritage ground.
Thank you for a ‘good hearted’ article and one with sound points for making better the memory and its memories.
Thank you so much Arthur! I preach conservation first – creativity second – you can easily practice both with just a little pracrice. I very much appreciate your comments!
We like it when readers go for the angle that fish talk! Good luck, Susan. Well done!
I like that Susan! Would have much rather gotten a big one, although I did give it a big ole smooch for winning Big Fish!
Gretchen reports that her judges, who run a funeral parlor (We don’t make this stuff up, folks!) will be judging the contest later today. Stay tuned!