When the first photographs were taken, many superstitious people feared having their
picture taken. While their fears of photography weren’t founded in reality, the idea that a
photograph captures the spirit is, in a way, true. To me,
photographs capture the spirit of the moment, and as an avid
outdoorsman, my hunting and fishing photos bring back
many happy memories of moments passed. For fly fishermen
and women, capturing the spirit of a nice fish about to be
released, or of the majestic beauty of a great river can make
such moments last forever.

Photography, like most other technologies, has undergone a lot of change in the last 20
years. Most of these changes have made it far easier for the average person to take quality
photos. The new equipment is easier to operate, and there is a wide selection available in a
broad range of prices and sophistication. Because of this availability the average angler can now
buy camera equipment that will result in great fishing pictures.

For most anglers, a camera is going to be used for family photos and occasional fishing
trip. The new compact 35 mm cameras that are available are great for this type of picture
taking, and produce photos that can be enlarged without loss to the picture’s quality. Thirty-five
millimeter film is the standard format for most photography, and produces a sharper, more
readily enlarged photo than other types of film. The 35-mm format is used to produce the photos
in most outdoor magazines on the market today.

There is a new kid on the block, the digital camera, that captures photos and stores them
in a file that can be manipulated on a computer and printed. My experience with digital cameras
is that they do take quality photos, but unless you own a relatively expensive color printer, the
quality of the actual prints is not the same. There is the option of having the prints done by
professional film developers who have specialized equipment for this sort of thing. The digital
camera is probably more suited to someone with a great deal of computer ability, who has the
right equipment, and not the average person looking for good angling photos.

Most fully automatic cameras that use 35-mm film have built in flash capability, and do
not require focusing; you just point and shoot the picture. They usually also have automatic film
loading, advancement, and rewind. This type of camera is great for the angler who wants to get
quality photos with minimal photographic skill, and will
serve well for most fishing situations. They are also
light and compact, and fit easily in the average fly vest.
These cameras do not, however, have the adaptability of
a 35-mm SLR camera when it comes to the choices of
lenses and accessories.

A full-bodied 35-mm SLR (single lens reflex) camera is a good choice for someone who
wants to have more flexibility in their personal photography, and is willing to spend the time
needed to learn how to operate the camera and the accessories. With these cameras you can
purchase zoom lenses, close-up lenses, flash units, shutter releases, a variety of lens filters, and
many other accessories. This camera is the choice for someone who wants to take close-ups of
flies and insects, scenic shots of great trout rivers (wide angle lens photos), specialty shots of
fish in water (polarizing filters), and many other types of specialty angling photos. The
downside is that they are heavier than fully automatic cameras, and less compact.

An often overlooked choice in cameras is the 35-mm single use camera. Disposable
cameras that come pre-loaded with film are a good option where an expensive camera might get
wrecked, like in a canoe for example. They take surprisingly good photos and are inexpensive.
They can also save some memories when a camera is forgotten on a trip.

With an SLR camera, there are a variety of lenses and accessories that will interest fly
anglers. Zoom and telephoto lenses are available for doing detailed wildlife photography along
the banks of a stream or pond. Wide angle lenses can be used for panoramic scenes along great
fishing areas. Close-up shots of flies and insects can be done with special lenses. A polarizing
filter, is another good accessory for anglers. It works like polarized sun glasses and is great for
taking pictures of fish in water, and for cutting the glare of the side of a fish when it is being
photographed out of water.

There are two types of photos most anglers take while on
a trip; fishing shots, and scenic photos. The first category is the
most common, and probably the least understood. There are
several things to consider for pictures like this, the most
important of which is to keep the background as natural as
possible. For example, a photo of an angler posing with a nice
fish looks better if the river, or the banks are in the background
and other items like driftboats or cars are not seen. The photo
has to have an “natural” look, and the more man-made objects in the background, the less
natural it is.

A good rule to follow when photographing people who are holding fish is to make the
fish the main subject of the photo, and keep everything else secondary. Remember, the fish is
the item of interest, and while it is nice to include a fly rod and reel in the photo with the angler,
there is no need to include nets or other gear that clutters up the photo. Keep things as simple as
possible, and the photo will turn out much better.

When photographing people holding fish, remember to stay low, and in general, have the
camera shooting at an upward angle if possible. Avoid having it point at a downward angle- stay
level with, or preferably, slightly below, the person holding the fish. Shooting photographs at an
upward angle results in a much more dramatic photo.

Another idea for photographing people holding fish, is to keep the fish towards the
camera. It is easy to make a good sized fish look small by holding it away from the camera. The
zoom on the camera can also make a good fish look small. A good general rule is to fill the
frame with the angler and the fish to the fullest extent possible.

When photographing someone with a trophy fish, remember that the variable in the
equation is the person holding the fish. When we catch and release fish, we are in a hurry to let
the fish go. What most people do is have the person
pose for a photo or two, and then release the fish.
People do some weird things when they know they are
being photographed, and many times the person holding
the fish will actually ruin the photograph by doing some
odd facial expression or not looking relaxed. If I am photographing people holding fish, and it is an
exceptional shot, I will shoot at least a roll of film
because of this fact. It is also a good idea to talk with the person while shooting the photos
because it will relax them and result in a better picture.

There are two schools of thought as to where the angler should be looking when posing
with a good fish. I prefer to have the angler look at the fish. It captures the awe of the moment
when the angler looks at a beautiful trout he or she is about to release, and sets the mood in the
photo. There are others who prefer the angler look directly at the camera, and in cases where he
or she is absolutely “beaming” because they caught a great fish, this works well.

The second category of photos that most anglers take is scenery and wildlife. For this
type of photo, an 80-200 zoom lens is a great asset. It
can produce photos when hand-held, and the zoom
feature makes it easy to change the way a scenic shot is
going to look. For example, I once visited an
abandoned log hotel in Colorado that I thought would be
a great picture, but there was a tour bus there and people all around it. By stepping back some, I
could use the zoom lens to crop the people and the bus out of the photo, and show just the
abandoned hotel and the big mountains behind it. The same thing is possible when shooting
great scenic shots of trout streams and rivers where you want only certain items in the photo.

Serious wildlife photography requires special lenses and equipment, but many times
while drifting a river, good photo opportunities can be realized with a 80-200 zoom lens, making
it well worth the extra weight on a trip. I have photos of moose that I took in Maine while
fishing, as well as other animals seen on driftboat trips.

You do not have to be Ansel Adams to take great photographs of fly fishing trips. With
the equipment available today, nearly anyone can capture angling memories on film without
much difficulty. By remembering a few simple rules of composition, it is possible to put some
great prints on the wall.