There are some excellent cameras available on the market today and with a little practice a prize fish will be able to be revisited in your photo album time and time again.
We will look at a few of the very simple things needed to be able to obtain some good quality trophy shots. Most modern cameras are very simple to use and with a little patience some excellent shots can be obtained.
For a more in-depth look into photography you may want to consider taking a class. To follow is just a brief overview for the purposes of the Trophy Carp Angler. We will look at the two types of medium currently available and a few pointers on how to get some high quality shots.
Digital or 35mm Film?
One of the aspects to take into consideration is the medium that you are going to be using for your pictures. If you are going to build a digital file on your computer or post the pictures on a web-site with no need of a final hard print, then there are some very good quality digital cameras available that will do the job and are relatively inexpensive.
If you are going to print the pictures either for personal or professional use then you will be hard pressed to beat a good 35mm SLR camera, although the very expensive higher end digital cameras of 6+ mega pixels are already there.
There are pros and cons for both types of camera, with the digital market exploding over the last few years the cost of high quality used SLR equipment has dropped and some excellent deals can be found. If you do opt to purchase any used camera equipment, be it film or digital, then it’s always advisable to go to a registered dealer where you can purchase used equipment with a warranty.
There are pro’s and cons for both digital and film camera’s and it will come down to your individual choice, needs and budget. For convenience and minimal fuss the digital cameras have a leg up but for high quality shots for less than $1000 it is still hard to beat a good 35mm SLR camera.
As in angling, the best quality products in the world will not guarantee you the best results so a little time invested in practice will go a long way to obtaining the desired results. Having said that, as with tackle always purchase the highest quality equipment that you can afford.
Digital
The point and shoot digital cameras are now very small, inexpensive and easy to use. A couple of hundred dollars will get you something that will be quite good enough for web site work and digital presentations. Though they are somewhat limited in their use, for general shots for the web they are more than adequate. Some are limited in their focal range and will not have all of the override functions for aperture and shutter speed settings of a more expensive model, but for a general trophy shot with minimal fuss this is a good place to start. If you fish alone, make sure that the camera has the ability to be placed on a small tripod and has a self-timer as there’s not always a stranger available to help out! You will need up to a 4MP camera to get the best resolution, though for web presentation a lower mega pixel camera will do fine. Remember the more mega-pixels the higher the resolution and detail available in the shot.
The higher end digital cameras that are 6+ mega-pixels are excellent for all types of medium. They are mostly based around the more traditional 35mm SLR style of body design and set up and have all of the same functions as a professional 35mm SLR film camera with both pre-set and manual aperture and shutter-speed settings. They will also accommodate any standard 35mm prime lens giving the user complete freedom of choice. The Canon EOS digital Rebel is an example of such a camera that is great value for money and will more than accommodate your trophy shots… even print work.
35mm SLR
For the avid photographer who wants complete freedom of choice on the ‘look’ of the shot the 35mm SLR is still hard to beat. The last few years have seen some excellent new cameras being introduced to the marketplace that will enable even a novice photographer to take very professional looking trophy shots with minimal cost. The Canon Rebel is again a popular choice and can be purchased complete with zoom lens for a little under $200.
There are many camera manufacturers on the market and Nikon, Pentax, Canon and Minolta are all known brands that produce excellent 35mm SLR cameras.
Whichever model you choose it is likely that it will have complete diversity regarding auto or manual settings for aperture, shutter speed etc. The camera will likely have a dial similar to that below with built in presets designed for night shots, portrait shots, close-ups, scenic shots etc. The green box usually denominates the fully automatic setting. This alone will take excellent quality trophy shots under most circumstances.
The manual override will also allow you to adjust any parameter on the camera to allow complete freedom of choice for your desired picture, allowing you to push the film, adjust the contrast etc.
Lenses
Most SLR style cameras (including digital) will come with a lens when purchased. These are usually of a decent quality but are mostly ‘all around’ type lenses with a zoom function and are 28-80mm. They will produce excellent shots but for truly professional looking trophy shots, a good prime lens with a fixed focal length is worth investing in. Zoom lenses have an adjustable focal length and though they offer great versatility there is a compromise in the sharpness of the picture taken. There are of course some VERY expensive zoom lenses but we are referencing the standard lens that comes with a camera when purchased. This is something that should be discussed with your local camera store dependant upon your particular need but a good 50mm prime lens is a good place to start for improved shots.
The quality and sharpness of the picture taken is mostly down to the ‘glass’ in the lens housing. This is the most important piece of equipment on your camera and also the most vulnerable…do not at any time touch the glass with your fingers.
Filters
There are many types of filter available today that can give some wonderful effects to a shot but the most useful for the Carp angler is the standard UV filter. This will help to avoid the suns UV rays entering the lens and distorting or ‘blowing out’ the picture. Additionally it is an excellent safety feature for the lens to ensure that dust and dirt do not come in contact with the glass. Even a small speck of dust on a lens can damage it, if it is not removed correctly and so the minimal investment of around $15 or so for a UV filter is money well spent. This filter can be left on the camera at all times. It should be purchased the second you buy the camera and placed on the lens.
Film
There are many types of film available to the consumer, the two most common being Kodak and Fuji. The choice is again down to individual taste, but either will give you excellent results. For trophy shots in most conditions either a 100, 200 or 400 rated speed of film will serve your purpose well. Most modern SLR cameras will automatically recognize the film speed when loaded and adjust their settings accordingly, however some older models may require you to manually set the ASA rating on the camera.
The higher the ASA rating on the film, the faster the speed and therefore more sensitive to light it is. Stick with the 100, 200 or 400 rated speeds and with most modern cameras you won’t go far wrong. Anything outside of this gets into a more specialist area regarding lighting and could deteriorate the quality of your shots unless you really know your camera well. It would be wise to speak to a specialist at your local camera store if you have questions regarding higher rated film use for trophy shots.
Flash Photography
Most modern SLR and all digital SLR style cameras will have a flash unit built in that will produce adequate night shots, however a separate flashgun will give far superior light fill and will give much higher quality shots. Well worth the investment if you plan on taking night shots as apposed to sacking a good fish for the morning.
Cleaning Kit
One word….Essential ! Never use a cloth or towel on a lens as this can scratch the surface and ruin your lens. There is some special cleaning ‘tissue’ that can be purchased from your camera store (do not use household store purchased tissue!). Additionally a boar bristle brush or rubber ‘blower’ are both advisable to carry along with some professional lens cleaning fluid. The packet of silica gel that likely came in your camera case should be left in there. This will help to avoid the damp causing damage to the camera lens.
Framing the Shot
There are a few elements to be considered when taking that trophy fish shot. The framing of the shot is one of the most important to achieve the overall feel of the picture. When viewing the shot to be taken through the viewfinder of the camera what is it that you see? Is there litter in the background or rods strewn everywhere that will take away the focus of the viewer from the fish? Are both the fish and captor filling the entire frame of the shot? Is this what is desired or is there a reed bed that will look great if the angler is framed in the shot in front of it? What about the angle of the fish in the shot?
These are the questions that need to be asked when taking the photograph. The best camera equipment in the world will not guarantee you a great trophy shot. Your eye is the key.
Self timing photography
It is advisable that any camera that you use for your trophy shots be equipped with a self- timer. There may be an occasion where you are fishing solo and there is no one available to assist you in your trophy shot, so its best to be prepared. You will also need a steady tripod to assist you.
The key for a successful self- timer portrait trophy shot is to focus and frame the ‘fish’ before it is even on the bank. One method is to take a bank stick and place it in the ground where you will be holding the fish. You can then focus on the top of the bank stick, which should be at the same height as the ‘fish’ you will be holding, even better if there is an alarm or larger object on the top of the bank stick to get a general idea of focus etc. Make sure that the framing of the shot is correct as if you were actually in the shot with the ‘fish’/ bank stick.
Once you are ready for your shot remove the bank stick and replace with yourself and fish. Set the timer and then make sure that the fish is being held in the same area as the top of the bank stick etc. You will usually have 12-20 seconds.
The very modern cameras will allow you to frame and then pull direct auto focus from a button on the remote before remotely taking the shot.
Don’t forget that as well as the trophy shots of the fish; there will be many other interesting scenes for photographic opportunities whilst you are bankside.
