We all know there’s no better feeling than reeling in that perfect fish after a day on the water (or shore). But, did it really happen if you don’t have photo proof? Better yet, fishing on the clear water with blue skies and colourful, scaly prizes gives you an opportunity to branch out from the standard “holding your fish toward the camera so it looks bigger than it actually is” type pictures you see scattered across Instagram. Be original and create to get the best shot of your mighty catch using our top 3 tips for fishing photography.
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Fresh is always best
When fish are alive they are their most vibrant selves, often with the most amazing neon colouration. After they are been on the boat in an esky for a few minutes or back on land, they lose all colour, becoming dull, stiff and lifeless – much less appealing for the camera. Try to take your pictures as soon as possible after catching your fish, and keep it nice and wet and clean of any blood etc., especially if you are planning on releasing it back into the water. It pays for both the fishes wellbeing and your photography to use nets rather than gaffs and hooks when pulling in your catch.
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Always be ready!
Fishing can be tedious and a waiting game for those precious bites, but once there’s something on the line and you are reeling it in; time flies by! To get those precious shots you need to be ready at any moment to throw down the rod, net or beer and grab that camera! Furthermore, if you don’t know much about cameras and aperture settings (shutter speed) then just leave it in auto – there’s no point fiddling around with the camera’s settings if it means you’re going to miss the shot!
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It’s all about the angles
Any photographer will tell you the key to a good photo is both the angle and the composition of the shot. While you might think it’s perfect to be standing front and center in the middle of the picture, there’s not going to be anything special about it. Be creative in the shot you take, use different angles and think about the sun and how it can affect it. Don’t be afraid to take several photos in order to get the perfect one. A good tip for getting the ideal photo composition is using ‘the Rule of Thirds’. Simply imagine that when you’re looking down the lens, that the image is broken up into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. You want to keep your subject along one of these lines or where they cross, rather than smack-bang in the middle of the frame.
There’s also really creative angles to be taken advantage of if you have the right equipment. An extending selfie stick or drone will let you get some great shots from above, or waterproof casing on your camera or GoPro get get you those those amazing underwater shots and colours that will just blow you away.
They key to all of these amazing shots is first and foremost getting out on the water! If you need finance for a new or used boat, whether it’s your first tinny or a fishing powerboat for weekenders on the water; National Finance Solutions have everything you need. Use our guide to finding the perfect boat for you, and then send us an online enquiry, get an obligation free quote online or give our helpful team a call on 1300 13 50 50 to discuss your needs. Once you are ready to get out there in your new rig, check out our blog on the top coastal fishing spots in Australia and pack your bags!
