We look at 5 key things to avoid or remember when taking photos of
carp, whether snapping your mates first 40 or your kid's first double
the following will help to ensure the perfect Trophy Shot.
Bad Composition.
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| Missing Angler's Head & Carp's Tail |
There's a number of sides to this. To state the obvious trophy shots
are about the angler and the fish so as a general rule these should
dominate the composition, i.e. be in the center and fill the frame. Now
although it's always worth snapping a few different shots, the other
people present, the fish being returned etc. but the shot the guy
usually wants on his wall is the standard one seen in all the mags and
consequently is the most important to get right.
When taking the picture for a trophy shot it's very important that
the frame is filled as much as possible. For instance, I always aim to
have the fish's lips and tail just millimetres from the left and right
hand edge of the frame as you look through the view finder. I insist
that the fish is slightly pushed out by the captor; this gives a better
aspect to the trophy.
I always like to see the back on the fish somewhere around the top of
the captor's chest. The photographer's position height in relation to
the height that the fish is being held is very important. Once in the
right position you will see that the elbows of the captor disappear.
The most common mistake on trophy shots is to stand too far back and
have the angler and the fish too small in the center. By the same token
avoid getting too close and chopping heads and tails off. You want the
entire anglers head and fish in the frame.
Bad Background.
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Background taking up most of the photo
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For most purposes a blank canvas of greenery a couple of metres
behind the angler gives most prominence to the subject. Complicated
backgrounds generally take something away from the composition and the
things to definitely avoid are bivvys in the background, other people,
cars etc.
This is one area where there are some notable exceptions. Flowered
bushes or grasses can add some colour and look stunning without
distracting from the angler.
The sides of the swim are pretty much always the banker shots. The
camera has a solid forward object to focus on and a rear focal point in
the form of reeds or foliage, although these often soften out slightly
(go out of focus). Remember always to have the sun coming over your
shoulder whenever possible.
A black silhouette/Underexposed shots
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underexposing the focal point of the shot
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Especially common with the returner photo this shot occurs when a
bright background fools the camera into underexposing the focal point of
the shot, i.e. the angler and fish. Depending on the camera there are a
number of ways to avoid this.
Say you want to take a picture of a Carp being returned. There is
water in the lower half or so of the picture, and sky in the upper
half or so, with the Carp in the middle. If the Carp is slightly above
the middle, the camera tries to adjust to the dark water and
everything looks very bright. If you put the Carp below the middle of
the picture, the camera tries to adjust to the bright sky and
everything gets darker. So the trick is to move the middle of the
picture (usually indicated by a square, some "crosshairs", a small
circle, [brackets], or something) slightly above the horizon, and
slightly below the horizon, until you get just the right brightness.
You then half-press the button to "lock" those exposure settings, and
don't let your finger off. Finally, compose the picture the way you
want and press the button the rest of the way down.
Giant Fish Syndrome
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| Carp looks proportionately bigger |
Wide angle lenses, such as the 35mm lens on a standard compact,
exaggerate distances. This means that objects nearer the lens look
proportionately bigger then further items. Getting in really close to
the fish with a wide angle lens will make the fish look proportionately
bigger.
A 50mm lens is close to the natural eye view so gives a realistic
fish size and is a popular focal length for people who take their fish
shots seriously.
If the Captor pushes the carp out from their body this gives a
better aspect to the trophy but it will also make the fish look
bigger.
Camera Shake
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| Blured phot due to Camra Shake |
The really important bit, of course, is taking the shot. In an ideal
world, you would always lock off your shot (use a tripod) but in reality
that's never going to happen. You've got two living, breathing
creatures going through a complex process in which one is held aloft,
while the other battles to stay as still as possible. With the best will
in the world the fish will still be battling and the captor struggling
to hold it steady.
When taking a picture its absolutely essential that you hold the
camera properly. With a heavier slr type camera a good position is down
on one knee with your left hand under the lens and elbow propped on the
other knee. Sort of a human tripod. Another trick is, just prior to
taking the shot take a couple of short breath, then hold you breath and
gently squeeze the button rather then push it. Often people push the
button quite hard and jog the camera in the process!!!
And finally - There are so many variables when taking the trophy
shot but one thing's for sure. If you have given it thought and
consideration beforehand you will deal with the situation in a much
calmer, rational, organised manner, and that can only improve the
results
