Digital photography and videography continue to evolve as phones advance. Anglers have never had more access to capturing images and videos, right in their pocket. Whether you are capturing a picture or a video clip to remind you of your catch, to share with friends and family, or to post on social media, photography has never been easier. Anglers can enjoy this remarkable technology no matter their level of experience. The best part is that these devices are always close at hand, so you have opportunities that somehow always seemed to appear when you didn’t have an SFR camera at hand. Most smartphones employ AI technology and come with software or apps that let you enhance the image, crop the size and share the final product in many ways. You can send the images to social media via email (straight from a phone), download them to your computer, edit and even print them out to frame and display.
Even though snapping a picture has never been easier, there are a few basic rules that will help you capture that special image.
Before ever leaving the dock, be sure you have a full charge on your phone and an extra battery bank with cables to recharge. Shooting video on an iPhone or Android device uses up a lot of power and you don’t want to run out of juice late in the day. Also, carry a cleaning cloth and make sure your lens stays clean.
There is almost always a certain amount of chaos associated with catching a memorable fish, so get an idea in advance of where you’ll compose your image.
Check the background through the viewfinder carefully for distracting and cluttered backgrounds. Make sure you don’t have any unwanted objects, like a rod appearing to stick out of someone’s head.
Look to capture photographs that aren’t posed and remember that the sooner you get your picture the more vibrant the colors of a fish will be. First and foremost, fill the frame with the subject, eliminating anything that doesn’t add to the composition.
Since you’re filming on the water, check that the horizon is straight. Most phones have the option of putting a grid on the field of view.
Many photographs taken on the water are exposed in bright light. When possible, shoot with the sun at your back and use fill flash when shooting with the sun in the background.
Take several shots from different angles and get the angler excited and talking to you. One of the great advantages of digital is that you can take lots of pictures and edit them on the go to make sure you have the shot you want.
Modern phones have built-in software to edit images but there are also apps including Lightroom and Photoshop that can be used. Since lighting on the water can be challenging, shoot and then review important shots.
The one disadvantage of phone photography is the lack of telephoto capabilities. There are a lot of excellent digital cameras on the market today that give you that option if needed but today’s phones take excellent images of fish and fishing. Phones can take amazing images, but they have their limitations so if you’re interested in photography, I would suggest getting a camera that meets your needs. Taking the time to capture the moments of life pays in dividends that you can continue to relive by sharing them through your images.
