What is it about anglers when they get a cracking fish and have their photo taken they look as miserable as hell! There's a guy called Ted something or other who regularly gets in the weekly rags with another stonking carp and seems to be trying to do a Phil Mitchell all the time...a real look of attitude! I'm not just picking on this chap, there are loads of them. For gods sake guys, lighten up, this is one of the greatest moments in your fishing life immortalised in photo for ever........just a little smile!

Looking at all my photos i must say that im a culprit of looking a tad miserable whilst holding fish, it's not intentional but i am usually concentrating on holding the fish safely, worrying if the camera is set up on the tripod correctly and the timer is actually going to work :confused: a smile is the last thing i think of, i know it shouldn't be but to be honest, it's the fish most people look at in a photo not my ugly mug

This what you mean



Alan(nl)

Oops

[ 17. January 2004, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: Alan Taylor ]

try again

Many, if not most of my photos of freshwater fish are "on the mat" shots - for a number of reasons.

1/ I want to be reminded of what the FISH looked like - if I need reminding of what I look like, there is a mirror in the bathroom!

2/ I like to travel light, and just take an underwater Canon A1 - which has no tripod attachment, so no self-portraits when fishing alone. The plus side is that the camera is waterproof to several metres depth, and thus impervious to rain or even falling in!

3/ Even a four-pound perch does not look very big when held by a full-grown adult. (see others' comments under "A Roach to Drool Over")

4/The only disadvantage is that at first sight , all my fish seem to be the same size - , cos one tends to fill the frame. Only by looking at their size relative to the reel (which I usually include in the picture) can one judge how big the fish is. Thought - does anyone make miniature Mitchell and Felton reels?

[ 17. January 2004, 12:35 PM: Message edited by: Vagabond ]

for scale in pics just keep a 12" rule in your box,(no rude jokes please)then lay it along side even if the fish is longer it gives an indication.

I've been a professional portrait photographer for years. Used to be a company out there called Parasol. I was part of that set-up, going from town to town. One thing I soon learnt was that most adults were ashamed of their teeth! So, all those unsmiling faces holding their fish in their regulation poses have one thing in common, crap teeth. They would rather go fishing than visit the dentist.

By the way, ditch those self-timers, useless things. Buy one of those rubber bulb thingies on a long, thin hose that you squeeze. As you press it say SEX! If nothing else it will put a sparkle in your eyes!!

[ 17. January 2004, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

I'll echo that. See my forthcoming review of the Kaiser Air Release that velros onto almost any camera, including those without threaded shutter buttons.

Air release, yes, thats what I meant. I refer to mine as the 'where the hell is the ###### thing'! The answer normally being back home in the dark-room!

I remember a talk Mick Rouse gave once about fish photography.He mentioned the smile thing.That year me and Rob took a lot of trophy shots of any Pike I caught or any other fish for that matter! The reason being I had just made him get a decent camera and learn to use it!! I was fed up with him having cracking trophy shots and me a collection of out of focus,no head,missing tale,angler in the far distance etc etc snaps! We both remembered what Mick had said about the smiling lark and he was right! the difference it makes is amazing!
Oh he takes great shots now just that I dont catch much now!!!DOH!