Improving Your Club Image
By Keith Sutton

Good photography may be just what your club needs to improve its image.

One of the best ways a fishing club can make itself look more professional is to improve the images of that club—photographic images that is. Clubs often post photos of members and events on the Internet or publish them in newsletters. But often these photos are low-quality pictures that reflect poorly on the club itself. It’s not hard, however, to improve these images if the photographer learns some simple tips.

Taking good fishing photos isn’t that difficult, and if you’re the person being photographed, or the one shooting the photos, wouldn’t you want them to be good? Following these guidelines can get you started.

Shoot On The Water, Not Indoors

If at all possible, shoot your photos of fellow club members on the water, or with a lake or stream in the background, never indoors or in a carport where the setting looks unnatural. To do this, of course, you need to remember to take your camera with you every time you go fishing. A note taped to the top of your tackle box may help you remember. Or buy a small inexpensive camera you can keep inside your tackle box with a set of spare batteries.

Ready To Go

When you get to the lake or river, keep your camera preset and nearby so you can shoot when fishing action is best. Try to capture your companions fighting or landing fish. Photos of fish jumping as anglers battle them are difficult to get but worth the effort when they work. Be sure to set your camera to a fast shutter speed.

Replay The Scene

If you’ve missed the original action, consider reenacting the scene. Have your fellow club member place his or her hand (or a landing net) and the whole fish under water and bring it up sharply to create splashing water. Again, shoot with a fast shutter speed to stop the action.

Fill the Frame

When shooting shots of your friends holding their catch, zoom in close so the angler and the fish fill the frame without a lot of distracting objects on the sides, top and/or bottom of the photo. Have your subject hold the fish with its side clearly visible, slightly in front of him or her or to one side. Shoot some photos with the angler holding the fish vertically, and some with the fish cradled in the hands and held horizontally. Turn the camera, too, so you get some vertical photos and some horizontal.

Hold It Right

Be sure the fish is properly turned to display it best—not belly-up or turned at a funny angle. You may also want to shoot some close-ups of the fish while your subject holds it.

Avoid a Posed Look

It’s OK to get some shots of your fellow fishing club member smiling and hamming it up for the camera. After all, catching a nice fish puts a smile on anyone’s face. You should try to steer clear of a posed look in all your photos, however. Shoot some pictures with the person looking away from the camera—preferably at the fish—when displaying the catch. Photos also look great when you have the person being photographed look at another person behind the photographer and smile real big as he or she hoists the fish and shows it off.

Shoot Fresh

For the best images, stop fishing and shoot several photos as soon as you’ve landed a fish. Sure, it’s tough to stop fishing and take pictures when there’s a good bite going on. But a bass’s beautiful colors fade quickly if it’s kept too long. And if you intend to release the fish in a healthy state, you need to do so within seconds. Have a fishing companion hold the fish in the water while you grab your camera, which you’ve kept handy in a dry location.

Release Shots

After you’ve taken some hold-up shots, don’t forget to photograph your fellow club member releasing the fish unharmed back into the water. If you’re careful, you may be able to lean out of the boat to do this. (Be sure to keep your camera strap around your neck!) A better way, however, is to shoot from one boat to another, or to shoot from shore (or while wading in safe shallows) toward the boat. A photograph of your friend releasing a big bass shows your club members take their conservation responsibilities seriously and makes a dramatic picture everyone will love.

Colorful Clothes Make Better Photos

You’ll certainly want some shots of your friends in clothing that displays your club logo if it’s available, but at times, have the angler being photographed wear solid, brightly-colored clothing. Shirts, jackets and hats that are some shade of red, yellow or purple stand out best in most fishing scenes. White, black and camouflage clothing rarely look good in photos. And shirts with artwork or designs on front can distract from the overall fishing image.

The Eyes Have It

When you want the angler to be the primary focal point of your photograph, focus on his or her eyes. If you have an autofocus camera, make sure the camera doesn’t inadvertently focus on the background or something else in the frame or the subject in your picture will be out of focus.

When you want the fish to be the photograph’s focal point, again focus on the eye. Most fish have rounded bodies. That means different portions of the fish lie in different planes of focus. If you focus on the fish’s side, the eyes might be out of focus, making the fish look lifeless and dull. So when snapping your shot, focus on the eye instead. This will help assure you get vibrant photos of a healthy looking fish.

Pay Attention To Avoid Distractions

Make sure your photos don’t show a fishing rod or fishing line across the angler’s face. Watch, too, for the tip of a rod or a landing net behind an angler that may appear to be growing from his or her head or shoulders.

Light Right

When shooting in bright sunlight, get in a position where the fish is well lit, but keep the sun off one shoulder, not directly behind you, so no shadows appear in your photo. It may be simpler, and the results are often more dramatic, if you move in close and use fill flash to light up your subject and bring out details in the photograph.

Photograph Other Anglers, Too

If the opportunity presents itself, include photographs of fellow club members in other boats—landing fish, casting, launching, and running to their fishing area. With a little planning, you can rendezvous somewhere they can pull up beside you and pose with their fish. Get them to shoot a picture or two of you and your buddies with your catch.

Filter It

Use a polarizing filter on your lenses when possible. This eliminates glare off the water and deepens the blue in the sky.

Better Safe Than Sorry

It’s easy to drop a camera in the water. Water spray and drops of moisture from your fishing tackle can also create a disaster. Always use the neck strap or wrist strap of your camera, just in case you lose your grip. And carry a waterproof camera bag or large plastic trash bag to protect your equipment from water, including rain.

Prepare Your Partner

If you’re the only person with a camera, instruct a companion in the use of your camera before the action starts. Use automatic settings, if possible, to simplify the process of getting a good shot. Then position the camera where it’s easily accessible to both you and your friend. After all, you’re an important part of this story, too.

Photo info/captions:
(All photos by Keith Sutton)

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Keep your camera handy in a dry place so you can grab it quickly and capture action shots like this.

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It’s tough getting good action shots of fighting fish, but worth the effort when you get a winning photo.

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You may want to stop during your fishing trip and reenact fishing scenes for the camera.

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Get close and fill the frame of the picture with the angler and fish.

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Close-ups of a bass can make good additions to your club’s photo album.

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Try to take photos of a bass immediately after you catch it so it still looks fresh and alive.

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Release shots show your club members realize the importance of bass conservation.

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When you want the fish to be the focal point of your photograph, focus on its eye.

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Be careful the background of your photo isn’t full of distractions such as nets and even other anglers.

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Don’t shoot with the sun behind you or you may cast a distracting shadow on your photo subject.

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Take time to stop and photograph fellow club members with their catch, and they’ll be more likely to do the same thing for you.

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The photo on the left (013) was shot without fill flash, the one on the right with fill flash. It’s obvious which looks better. Fill flash brings out details in the photo you don’t see without it.