How To Take Photos Of Yourself With Fish

[kLuo]

Many times I will be fishing solo and have never even bothered trying to take pictures of nice fish that I have caught. I want to change this and was wondering if you guys had any creative ideas of how to do this. I would like to get a quality picture of both the fish and myself while holding it.

[tomustang]

Tripod and a camera with a timer

[Bluebasser86]

I set the 10 second timer on my camera and set it up best I can. Look to see where you need to be with the fish and push the button and get into position. It's not the best picture but it's better than the fish and part of your arm or your face, part of an arm and a fish.

[Hamby]

Tripods work well. I set my camera on a 5 sec timer and to take 3 pictures. I usually get at least one good one. I can either set the tripod up, or hold it straight out.

Lately, i've just been holding the tripod out. That way i can leave the tripod folded up and take the picture without putting the fish down, and easily check it.

You can see my arm sticking out where i'm holding the tripod.

[Hamby]

A friend of mine has a camera with a flip out screen so he can position himself perfectly. Unfortunately, i've only found that feature on expensive cameras.

[Pilgrim]

I use the 10 sec timer on my camera and lay the camera on the butt seat and stand back in the middle of the boat.

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

Check this out guys.

http://www.geoindustries.net/apps/webstore/products/show/302662

Pretty neat setup. Rear pedestal base mounted camera mount.

[J Francho]

You want a gorilla pod.

[BrianSnat]

I just hold the camera at arms length and snap the photo. You might have to snap a few to get it framed properly.

Here is one taken with me holding the camera at arms length with one hand and the fish in the other.

[Marty]

Many times I will be fishing solo and have never even bothered trying to take pictures of nice fish that I have caught. I want to change this and was wondering if you guys had any creative ideas of how to do this. I would like to get a quality picture of both the fish and myself while holding it.

You didn't say whether you'll be on shore or in a boat, but it doesn't matter, you can get a good picture either way.

It goes without saying that regardless of where you are, you should shoot some practice pictures so you'll know what needs to be done when you have a fish.

On shore I put a utility box on the ground and lean the camera against it at the proper angle. In a boat it depends on the kind of boat. Maybe you have access to a deck or seat or something else. In my canoe I have a gizmo that I cobbled together and put on the yoke such that the camera sits at the necessary angle. My avatar picture was taken that way, although it got distorted when the forum changed format awhile back.

As far as I know, just about all cameras have self-timers, so that shouldn't be a problem. Don't hesitate to use flash, even on a sunny day. It will illuminate a back-lit subject and fill in shadows on a front or side lit subject.

[rboat]

The camera with a fold out screen works the best. They do cost more, but you can see exactly what you are shooting. Many small camcorders also have this foldout screen feature, mount on a tripod, and they will also shoot a still photo. Make sure the sun angle is shining on your face or use the flash, and smile you just caught one.

[Hamby]

As far as I know, just about all cameras have self-timers, so that shouldn't be a problem. Don't hesitate to use flash, even on a sunny day. It will illuminate a back-lit subject and fill in shadows on a front or side lit subject.

During low light conditions you can use the flash to darken out the background. Even on cloudy days, you can sometimes use the flash to darken out identifying features in the background.

For example, my avatar. It wasn't that dark...but the flash made it look dark.

[Fish Chris]

Well, I pretty much "only" fish by myself, and take nearly ALL of my fish photos by myself.

Yes, a tripod and a camera with a timer is nice.....

But you might run into a problem, that I have in the past...

So, you have set up the tripod and camera, and set the timer {man.... I'm in the middle of workout, and my arms are so pumped, its hard to bend them for the key pad !} oh... anyway...

You catch a big fish, you lean forward to hit the button, and "beep beep" it chirps (most digital cams do, anyway, if the beeper is not turned off) and this tells you, it just focused.... Problem is, you were not sitting back in position, but rather, standing right in front of the camera, pressing the shutter button So your focus is all wrong You might ask, "Why would they make cameras like this ? Well, because typically, the timer is used for group portraits, where the photographer can focus on a group, hit the shutter, then have a few seconds to go squeeze in with the group.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Solution ? Well, I LOVE my Canon A6XX series (I have 3 of them) because I can set everything up ahead of time, including a manual focus at a predetermined distance. Unfortunately, Canon quit making these cameras, and did not come out with a direct replacement. I think like the G11, and G12's ($500-$600 cameras... mine were $130 to $200, each) can do this..... but they use expensive, hard find proprietary batteries, whereas my A6XX series use rechargeable AA's.

Anyway, I know I took some pretty nice self taken shots in the past, without any special features like this.... So try it. But if you have focus issues, the above is probably the problem.

Just a heads up.

Peace,

Fish

Here's a couple of my favorite self taken shots from

earlier this year

[J Francho]

Chris, you can find better than OEM batteries from Sterlingtek for SUPER CHEAP: http://sterlingtek.com/?gclid=COGqx-KnvqwCFQoaQgod4kq-JA

I vouch for them, as I've been using them in my SLRs and compact Elphs since 2006. OEM batts seem to last about a year of heavy use. The replacements have a greater capacity, charge faster, and some of mine are pushing five years old!

[Fat-G]

This is good stuff Chris. I have tried many different methods and ways.

First off, it completely BLOWS to be out fishing, catch a big one, and not have anything to prop it up on. It's not the worst thing as you at least have a camera so you can get some kind of picture, but the pictures of a fish laying next to your rod and reel don't cut it with me, though I have had to resort to that on several occasions.

Let me just get this out there as well, it is 100% necessary in my opinion to ALWAYS make sure you have a real digital camera with fully loaded batteries before you even pack your rods and reels. I have been that kid that is caught holding a seven pounder with my cell phone being the only camera on me. It sucks.

I'm the kind of person that likes to take lots of pictures, usually from 4 pounds up. I also like to post them on here. For me, a four pound fish is a good fish, and anything above six is noteworthy and picture material. I think that is because of where I live, if I was in Texas I probably wouldn't take pictures of anything under 6, but in Michigan a 4 pounder would most definitely get to smile and say cheese.

Anyway, I have taken pictures of them lying next to my rod, holding them out at arms length, arm out with my face and the fish, and propped a camera up on a lot of different things. If you have nothing to prop it up on, I think the arms length technique is the best way to go.

Otherwise, always have at least a small tripod with you.

A couple of other things I have learned is to stand close® to the camera and hold the fish out with a slight bend in your arm. If the picture shows you 10 feet away holding the 6 pounder you caught right up on your chest, depending on your body size, there is no way that fish is going to look like a six pounder. Also, if you can, have the camera at a lower height, say waist high, aiming slightly upwards.

I'll add a few examples to show what I mean about all of the techniques I talked about.

This fish was 6.2, and probably the worst fish pic I have of myself.

Arm straight out, 6.4.

IMO, this is probably the 2nd best fish pic I have.

I think this is #1, camera angled up, fish held out.

This of course is just for a "good" picture that does justice to the fish. I'm still trying to get crystal-clear pics, LOL.

[Gregory M Cobb]

Nice fish, When did you catch that bass? What kind of rods do you use?

Thank you

Greg

[Fat-G]

Nice fish, When did you catch that bass? What kind of rods do you use?

Thank you

Greg

Over the past two years.

Right now I have two Dobyns Champion Extreme rods, and plan on getting a Zombie soon.

[Brandon K.]

Most smartphones have an option on the camera to fip the screen so you can see yourself. I've taken several real good pics like this and it's a lot easier to find something to prop them up on than a bulky camera, and its much easier to load the pics because they are a computer.

[Gregory M Cobb]

Thank you for getting back with me.

Have you ever used Gary Loomis rods?

Gary Loomis has a new company called, North Fork Composites.

Do you do a lot of fishing?

[Fish Chris]

Hey JF, yes, Sterlingtek ! I've gotten several batts from them, all at least as good as the OEM, if not better.....

But that's not my issue with proprietary batts for fish photo cameras. This is; So your camera may have gone months without you using it (hopefully not but sometimes, right ? Then you stick the biggest fish of your life, and the darn battery is dead !

But here's an even bigger problem > Sure, you can have a spare battery, or heck 6 of them ! But if the battery in your camera has went dead just due to sitting, so are all of your back up batts liable to be in the same condition.

Not so with AA's. I carry two of my Canon A6XX series cameras with me. Each has a set of NiMH rechargable AA's in it, + 1 spare set. However, I also carry a set of old school alkalines with a 10 to 15 year shelf life ! Who cares if alkalines only take 50 shots before their dead. 50 shots will always be enough for a fantastic trip, or the fish of a life time. Long term insurance, baby

Just got to have spare batteries, spare cameras, spare scales, etc.......

Peace,

Fish

Chris, you can find better than OEM batteries from Sterlingtek for SUPER CHEAP: http://sterlingtek.com/?gclid=COGqx-KnvqwCFQoaQgod4kq-JA

I vouch for them, as I've been using them in my SLRs and compact Elphs since 2006. OEM batts seem to last about a year of heavy use. The replacements have a greater capacity, charge faster, and some of mine are pushing five years old!

[Marty]

You catch a big fish, you lean forward to hit the button, and "beep beep" it chirps (most digital cams do, anyway, if the beeper is not turned off) and this tells you, it just focused.... Problem is, you were not sitting back in position, but rather, standing right in front of the camera, pressing the shutter button So your focus is all wrong You might ask, "Why would they make cameras like this ? Well, because typically, the timer is used for group portraits, where the photographer can focus on a group, hit the shutter, then have a few seconds to go squeeze in with the group.

Chris, that's exactly what I do, lean forward and press the shutter. However, focus is not a problem because the lens is wide open (27 or 35 mm, depending on which camera) and the large depth of field keeps me in focus.

[Fat-G]

Thank you for getting back with me.

Have you ever used Gary Loomis rods?

Gary Loomis has a new company called, North Fork Composites.

Do you do a lot of fishing?

No, I rarely fish...

I have heard of Gary Loomis. Have not fished one of his rods.

[Fish Chris]

Hey Marty, yea, I hear you. I didn't always have that problem. I did have it more with some cameras, less with others. But now, as I was saying, I preset a manual focus distance.... a little longer for Stripers, and longer yet, for Sturgeon

Peace,

Fish

Chris, that's exactly what I do, lean forward and press the shutter. However, focus is not a problem because the lens is wide open (27 or 35 mm, depending on which camera) and the large depth of field keeps me in focus.

[Hamby]

If i have it on a tripod, what i often do is point the camera at something equal in distance to what i'll be from the camera. The only problem with this is lighting, so i have to make sure i'm pointing it at something in the same direction i'll be standing relative to the sun. The best way i've found to accomplish this is to simply point it at the nose of the boat when i hit the button, then point the camera up and stand at the nose of the boat.

If you're shore fishing, set it up to focus on a tree, then stand in front of that tree.

[North Ga Hillbilly]