Taking a good photo of a fish and fisherman should be easy. Two of the more difficult variables to get right, focus and exposure, are virtually eliminated today because the cameras does them for you. Nonetheless, most fishermen take lousy photos.
Even experienced photographers only get one they can put in a frame and present to a friend every now and again. It’s fun and, frankly, ego-enhancing to walk into friend’s homes and see a photo you have taken displayed prominently. People love to see photos of themselves — but only if they are flattering.
Most people take photos with either their cellular phones — older models are not good, but newer smart phones are much better — or a point-and-shoot cameras like the Cannon Power Shot 110HS, a tiny but powerful digital camera. Professionals still use digital, single lens reflex cameras, but they are big and rather inconvenient.
All three types will generally take photos that will be properly exposed and focused, but they will not necessarily be good photos. The photographer needs to learn a few keys to accomplish that.
First, figure out what the feature of the shot is and get the focus there. Next, frame the shot nicely using the rule of thirds, which divides the photo frame into thirds both vertically and horizontally. Locate the feature of the picture one third in from the upper left or right edge of the shot.
When you are ready to snap the shutter, look at the horizon, get it level and generally keep it in the bottom third of the shot. Eliminating the horizon completely works, too. Don’t cut the subject in half with the horizon.
There are generally two kinds of photos, scene shots and people shots, and doing justice to both in one photo is tough. With people shots, completely fill the frame, in other words, get closer to the subject. The person modeling should look happy, even animated if possible, for an interesting shot. Get their head on a clear background, take off their sunglasses and use a fill flash in heavy sun. Bright colors make striking photos.
And the most-important point? Take a lot of shots. If you snap the shutter often enough, even a blind hog finds an acorn sometimes. Then frame up a great 5×7 or 8×10 and give it to a friend for Christmas. They’ll love it.
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