Becoming A Fishing Writer: Part 2
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. For better or for worse, and particularly in the fishing journalism game, this is very much the case. Your photos aren’t everything when it comes to getting published, but they can sometimes seem to be very close to it!
Good photography is often about being in the right place at the right time with the right gear… and waiting for the moment!
As I often used to tell budding young writers, a competent editor can work wonders with your words (the text), even re-writing if necessary. But if your photos are sub-standard, there’s not a lot they can do to improve them. This was absolutely the truth in the old days of film, when most of us shot transparencies (slides) for submission to magazines, and Kodachrome 64 was the king of the film emulsions. She was a tough task master, that old Kodachrome 64. Get it right and the results were nothing short of stunning (slightly superior, in my possibly-Luddite opinion, to even the best of modern digital images). But get it wrong and Frau Kodachrome was an unforgiving mistress. I have boxes upon boxes of crappy, un-publishable slides to prove my point…
I’ll agree that things have changed a little in the era of Photoshop… but only a little. It’s now possible to tweak and enhance an image… perhaps even to save an under-exposed one (over-exposure is generally harder to fix). But it remains difficult, if not impossible to rescue a photo from poor composition or being chronically out of focus. Good, sharp, well-composed, colourful and interesting images still sell stories to fishing magazines.
This is why you need to use fill flash for MOST of your fishing photos! overhead sun and hats equal horrendous shadows.
You’re kidding yourself if you think you’re going to “make it” as a fishing journalist if you can’t take decent photos to accompany your submissions. Certainly, you could share the job with a competent photographer (you produce the words and he or she takes the shots), but that way you are going to be splitting what we’ve agreed is a fairly meagre income stream… and making something that was already unlikely to be financially viable completely uneconomical. So, bite the bullet and accept the fact that you’ll need to become a reasonably polished photographer if you wish to see your work in print and your name on a magazine by-line.
I’ll admit that the photographic side of the game is the one I’ve always struggled with and had to work hardest at. I can string words together reasonably well and I have a basic grasp of grammar. But my photography has often let me down, and it is the area I have needed to apply the most effort to over the years. Today I rate myself as a passable photographer. That’s all. Occasionally I produce some better-than-average images, but this has more to do with the high standard of equipment available today and its ease of use than any real skill on my part.
… although sometimes Photoshop CAN save the day!
If you’re serious about becoming a published fishing writer, WORK on your photography, just as I have had to do. Take some courses and join a photographic club. Then save up and buy the best camera gear you can afford… and learn to use it.
Finally, here are my five top tips for becoming a better fishing photographer:
1. Study the fishing photos in books and magazines that appeal most strongly to you, then attempt to emulate them. Really look at other people’s photography, critique it and try to work out how it was produced.
2. Get yourself a decent camera: Either a top of the range point-and-shoot or a digital SLR. Choose something with at least a 10 megapixels of resolution and then shoot the biggest (FINE) jpegs, or shoot in RAW.
3. Develop the habit (and learn the tricks) of using fill-flash during daylight hours. The majority of your published fishing photos (other than scenics/landscapes) will be taken using electronic flash.
4. Establish a workable photo filing system and cull mercilessly (discard your sub-standard shots). While you’re at it, learn the basics of Photoshop, but please avoid over-manipulating your images. Most publishers prefer receiving un-tweaked (non-manipulated) images.
5. Finally, know when to put the rod down and pick the camera up and, when you do, shoot lots of frames. The old saying was “film is cheap” (it wasn’t!). But pixels are! There’s no excuse for missing the killer shot that would sell a feature or earn you a cover. Accept that if you’re going to be a fishing journalist, you’ll need to fish less.
Next time: Studying your market and making that initial approach to an editor or publisher.
Becoming A Fishing Writer: Part 3
Becoming A Fishing Writer: Part 4
Becoming A Fishing Writer: Part 5
Reblogged this on Vasile Roata.
Solid advice there Steve. Good photography will sooner earn you a published article than words do, is (sadly) my experience.
One comment on the megapixels. Don’t stare yourself blind on megapixels. A higher range in megapixels eats copious amounts of sensor space. 10mp will get you a cover shot in the right resolution (300dpi). Check sites like dpreview for performance in low light/high ISO situations.
Cheers,
Jeroen
Good advice. Thanks Jeroen.
G’day Steve, just wanted to say “this is great” It’s something I’ve wanted to get into for a long time and am very grateful for any advice I can get.
As far as fishing goes I’m starting to back my self as an angler, these days I’m finding it easier to set a goal or target fish and go out and achieve what I’ve set out to do. I’ve purchased a quality SLR camera and completed a basic photography class and would say that my shots are definitely improving. I’m extremely passionate about fishing and love sharing what I’ve learnt, so writng about it should be easy (i wish) That’s something I’m yet to have a red hot go at but will be doing once I have the perfect photo to accompany it
I would like to know your thoughts on what’s most important to a publisher in regards to taking a great shot?
Thanks
Matt Caterson
Good to hear, Matt! I reckon you need a mix of action and static shots (“grip-and-grin”) and some scenics (where applicable). The things most of us forget to shoot are the small things. Bait, rigs, lures, etc. Look for the detail.
The details! Excellent tip there, Steve.
thanks jw, glad you’re getting something out of it.
Good write up Steve, something iv’e been interested in and finding these blogs very helpful.
Quik question, do you intend in furture blogs on ‘Becoming a Fishing Writer’ to cover information in regards to different topics and how to establish ideas to write on? (If that makes sense).
Cheers, Marc
Yes Marc, that sort of stuff will be covered in future blogs. Thanks for your positive feedback, too.
Steve,
When it comes to submitting images for an article is it acceptable to send shots from multiple trips if they refer to your subject matter?
By that I mean one trip it may be overcast and raining while another is bright and sunny. Yes the fish is the same but the conditions are vastly different. Will I confuse the reader by doing this?
Thanks
Wayne
Wayne – Unless you’re specifically writing a story about one particular day’s action, using pics from different days is perfectly acceptable. What’s NOT generally acceptable is trying to pass off fish taken in totally different places or on different tackle as something else. For example, a big brown trout taken trolling in a lake being used with a feature on fly fishing in streams.
Cheers,
Starlo