[netuser]

Hi all

I have been invited to replace one of the photographers that was going to cover the event (big game fishing challenge) on one of the boats.

I'm an amateur/enthusiast and I never did something like this. Think is a great challenge and learning opportunity for me.

Can someone give me pointers on how to aproach this shooting and also sellecting the gear?

I can use k200d and k7. I was thinking about using only two lenses, one on each bodie since it doesn't seem a good idea to change lens in the sea. I'm I right ?

Available lenses are:

DA10-17
DA12-24
DA18-55
DA18-250
DA*300
FA/FA* 24/ 50 / 31 / 77
FA28-80

Tamron 17-50 and 70-200 f2.8

Edit: DFA 100mm

Care to share your ideas/experiences or just brainstorm a bit?

Thanks

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Last edited by netuser; 09-03-2009 at 04:34 AM. Reason: Forgot the macro lens

[Ash]

You'll be on the boat and have pretty close range for shooting.
You probably won't need the 70-200, 300 or 77 lenses.
Your 17-50 would probably be versatile enough and good to capture things spontaneously, but having the 24 and 31 would be gold.

[remoteman]

Personally i think the 10-17 could produce some rather cool results in the small confines of the boat, and could really make the big fish look huge if used properly.

Having a macro lens could also work rather well with the fish themselves.

[alohadave]

What are they expecting you to capture? Action shots, trophy shots, fish coming out of the water?

Are you going to be in the same boat as fishermen, or in a chase boat?

Have they shown you, or have you seen examples from previous events?

[netuser]

What are they expecting you to capture? Action shots, trophy shots, fish coming out of the water?

I was told "everything", that's why I think I also need a longer lens for the comming out of the water images.

Are you going to be in the same boat as fishermen, or in a chase boat?

On the same boat as fishermen.

Have they shown you, or have you seen examples from previous events?

No, that's why I'm trying to do the "homework"

Ask them what fish they are catching. If it's the kind of fish that are going to be jumping out of the water as they fight, you need to know what sort of distance from the boat they will be. Find out how big the boat is as well.
I think it will come down to a choice between the Da*300 or the 18-250 on one camera and the 77 or the 50 on the other camera.
You should also consider taking the 10-17 or the 12-24 as well.

[netuser]

Ask them what fish they are catching. If it's the kind of fish that are going to be jumping out of the water as they fight, you need to know what sort of distance from the boat they will be. Find out how big the boat is as well.

Swordfish
Swordfish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think it will come down to a choice between the Da*300 or the 18-250 .

Why not Tamron 70-200 f2.7 instead of 18-250 ?

[OrenMc]

Man, this would be way cool and a very good learning experience. I'm jealous

Anyway, these are rather large fish and jump often. Never fished them before but wathched a few documentaries. I think your Tamron 17-50 and 70-200 combo would work great except the 200mm might be a little short at times.This is where the sealed DA* 300 would shine. But you can always wait till the fish are reeled in a little. Your probably going to have a little wait time in between fish so playing around with the 10-17 or 12-24 and the macro during that time as remoteman suggested might result in some interesting shots. I think you'll be okay changing lenses if you pick the moment.

Have fun and I can't wait to see the results.

[reeftool]

I have done some offshore fishing. My last trip was off Cape Hatteras. I didn't bring a SLR on that trip, just a 35mm zoom. That camera zoomed from 38-145 and I got some very good shots although it wasn't wide enough. I would bring the the 10-17 or 12-24 for sure. A wide angle is necessary for catching the action and whether you used the fisheye or not would be your choice. I would bring the fisheye myself. Of the rest of your list, I would lean towards the 18-250. The only thing you would use a long lens for if you are taking shots on the same boat with the fishermen would be for large jumping fish ( marlin, sailfish, etc) or maybe some scenery. You will not have time to change lenses. Fish don't bite for the camera and you will have no idea what's on the line so thats why the zoom. I would have the 18-250 on one body and a wide angle zoom on the other. Unless the boat is very large, I think most of your shots will be with the wide angle's. One other thing I should mention, it is a FISHING trip and they might not catch a thing so you may want to bring an extra lens or 2 along (your choice) if you have to get creative. Also, bring some chewable Drammine just in case. I would hate to clean vomit off of a new K7.

[Ron Boggs]

As a former editor of a fishing magazine with several hundred published fishing photos...a few quick ideas:
For in the boat work the 12-24 is the ticket
For trophy shots of anglers with fish the 12-24 is the ticket.
For boat to boat work you'll need tele zoom.
For fish jumping shots you'll need lots of fish to be caught as you'll have a very low success rate due to boat motion and fish motion and variable distance to the fish. Sharp focused shots on your first try with jumping fish is not likely so don't dwell on it. Shoot like crazy, do your best and if you get a couple keepers be thrilled!
If you are trying to please sponsors which I'm guessing you will want to do, be sure to do some boat to boat work with the sponsoring boat/motor companies prominently displayed in a wider angle shot than what you want for action shots. Presuming the fish will be tagged and released at boatside, try to get the sponsor's logo to show in the close view shots--ie shots that only show the fish's head, perhaps the angler or release guy's face and the logo on the side of the boat or motor.
I wouldn't fret about lens changes as you'll likely be on a fairly large boat for this type of fishing--typically an air conditioned cabin etc. on the photo boats, though the fishing may be done from a center console without a cabin. Carry a couple small hand towels to make sure your hands are dry. Store your gear in waterproof cases like Pelican cases as the run to the fishing grounds may be rough and spray-filled.
I wouldn't bother bringing the limiteds (I have the 31, 43, & 77 and virtually never use them in the boat), just zooms for versatility.The macro can be very handy for shots of the gear that you can compose without any action going on--and most of the day will be filled with actionless bobbing around on the sea, so try to get the anglers to spare you a lure or two for studio type macro work during the slow times. If they are using bait fish, you'll want shots of those too which the macro can work for. Depending on the species you are seeking, the baitfish may be as large as 3 to 5 pounds--bigger than most of the fish people sport catch in inland waters, so don't be shocked. Be aware that target species and bait species may be flopping hard and throwing salt spray, blood, stomach contents, feces all around. Watch your gear when close to a flopping fish!
Flash can really help most fish photography--takes out the hat-brim shadows in the harsh sun and helps equalize tones with the glaring water. Flash is almost required for close portrait type work. I use a flash diffuser from Lumiquest to keep from blowing the fish out with too much pinpoint flash. This is a big problem on silvery species. The more colorful or the more drab species don't reflect the flash quite as bad, but I still highly recommend flash for virtually all shots closer than 15 feet. Don't bother trying to flash the boat to boat stuff. Standard consumer flashes don't have the output for that task.
You can creatively fake dawn and dusk shots by severly underexposing backlit boats to create silhouette shots during any time of day. Play around with silhouettes from underexposure and backlighting if you have time.
Enjoy yourself but understand that a whole day or more on the water is not a relaxing time. You'll need your sea legs and plan for a stiff back the next day if you aren't used to bobbing and tipping for hours on end. It is far more physical to endure ocean time than most people realize!

[Ron Boggs]

Reread previous posts. You will be in the boat with the anglers...Bet you won't need much more than the 12-24 and the 100 Macro. Fish jumping shots out the back I'm thinking 70-200/2.8.
If you don't want to spend the time and money to equip with Pelican cases, get some sealable waterproof bags available from fishing outlets or from kayak dealers.
Watch the horizon, though on sea trips, sometimes a crooked horizon is acceptable. I included a snapshot of my son and father with some Oregon coast salmon. That shot ran in a magazine and a boat brochure even with the bad horizon line--normally I wouldn't even have submitted it due to the horizon, but not all editors dislike such horizon issues...
Also, note that bright clothing makes more publishable fish pictures. Perhaps bring a bright red, yellow or blue slicker that can be passed around to different people in the boat if conditions aren't too hot. I'd probably bring a bright shirt or two, a bright hat or two as well. It may not be a fashion shoot, but if you want publishable images on the water, adding color is a smart idea.
The image of my son with a fish shows how well flash works to eliminate hat brim shadows...
Note also that the shot of my son with the fish was shot with a Pentax point and shoot EI200 2 megapixel camera many years ago. A different version of this shot was sold to an ad agency for use in a boat brochure for two years, used in that boat company's national full-page ads which appeared in dozens of magazines, it was also used in a fishing tackle and rod company brochure and then was blown up to appx. 2 feet by 2 feet and used on a 2'x8' banner distributed three hundred boat dealers across the U.S. and Canada. So even low-end digital images can be marketable!

[ChooseAName]

Also, bring some chewable Drammine just in case. I would hate to clean vomit off of a new K7.

I was going to mention this as well. Unless you know for absolutely certain that you have a good pair of sea legs, bring all sorts of seasickness aids, like ginger and/or dramamine. You probably won't be able to get good shots if you are emptying stomach contents the whole time.

[seacapt]

First off Sword fishing is serious business , talk to the crew of the boat about how to stay out of the way and still get your shots! I'm going to assume you'll be on a boat 36-40 Ft. with a cabin?
I've not done many swordfish shoots because around here most hook & line swordfishing is done at night . I have however been shooting and fishing marlin and sailfish for many years.
That being said :
1) most of the jumping fish shots will be pictures of splashes so shoot alot. You can keep the anglers line in sight and learn to anticipate a jump. The most (but not all) jumps happen early in the battle so you want to be able to reach out -Bring the 300mm. If you can get your hands on a high quality zoom that goes to 300 it would be even better but remember you are not going to have time to compose your shots.
2)Neither anglers or crew are going to allow you to be in their face while the action is on.You'll be sent to a corner or the bridge when a fish is hooked so my vote for an in boat lens is the Tamron 17-50 which will also work nicely when the fish is close to the boat .
3) The 12-24 might be nice to bring for in cabin or casual shot during to time when nothing is happening(most of the time).

Just remember it's not hard to get hurt in the cockpit so listen to the crew, you'll be on their boat and they are the boss!

Following are a couple pics of me 25 years ago while I was still working the deck , just so you don't think I'm talkin out my butt.

[netuser]

Man, this would be way cool and a very good learning experience. I'm jealous



...........

Did I mention this is a two day event/challeng ? like two FULL days ? and that I ussually get sea sick ?



"My boat" will be the best will all the feeding I will give them, no other bait needed As we say, "I'm gonna be sick like a dog" !



But until now, I always find a way to still have the spirit to shoot

I have done some offshore fishing. My last trip was off Cape Hatteras. I didn't bring a SLR on that trip, just a 35mm zoom. That camera zoomed from 38-145 and I got some very good shots although it wasn't wide enough. I would bring the the 10-17 or 12-24 for sure. ......................

...........

it is a FISHING trip and they might not catch a thing so you may want to bring an extra lens or 2 along (your choice) if you have to get creative. Also, bring some chewable Drammine just in case. I would hate to clean vomit off of a new K7.

Funny you say that Last Monday I went shooting a gig for a boat enterprise of a friend, (not paid but I got the experience and that's what I really I'm looking for this days since I'm an amateur) and forgot to take something, point is, of course I feed all the fishes around the boat



But most important I could manage to vomit to the back from my left arm and fast shoot the sperm whales from my right arm. (only gear was k7 and da*300)

Check the image

(just did this one right now on fast PP as an example - didn't had time yet to go by all of them)

........... Unless you know for absolutely certain that you have a good pair of sea legs, bring all sorts of seasickness aids, like ginger and/or dramamine. .....

What is the "ginger" ?

Also never tried dramamine, does it make one sleepy ?

As a former editor of a fishing magazine with several hundred published fishing photos...a few quick ideas:

...................

Presuming the fish will be tagged and released at boatside, try to get the sponsor's logo to show in the close view shots--ie shots that only show the fish's head, perhaps the angler or release guy's face and the logo on the side of the boat or motor.


I wouldn't fret about lens changes as you'll likely be on a fairly large boat for this type of fishing--typically an air conditioned cabin etc. on the photo boats, though the fishing may be done from a center console without a cabin. Carry a couple small hand towels to make sure your hands are dry. Store your gear in waterproof cases like Pelican cases as the run to the fishing grounds may be rough and spray-filled.

...... just zooms for versatility.The macro can be very handy for shots of the gear that you can compose without any action going on--and most of the day will be filled with actionless bobbing around on the sea, so try to get the anglers to spare you a lure or two for studio type macro work during the slow times. If they are using bait fish, you'll want shots of those too which the macro can work for. Depending on the species you are seeking, the baitfish may be as large as 3 to 5 pounds--bigger than most of the fish people sport catch in inland waters, so don't be shocked. Be aware that target species and bait species may be flopping hard and throwing salt spray, blood, stomach contents, feces all around. Watch your gear when close to a flopping fish!


Flash can really help most fish photography--takes out the hat-brim shadows in the harsh sun and helps equalize tones with the glaring water. Flash is almost required for close portrait type work. I use a flash diffuser from Lumiquest to keep from blowing the fish out with too much pinpoint flash. This is a big problem on silvery species. The more colorful or the more drab species don't reflect the flash quite as bad, but I still highly recommend flash for virtually all shots closer than 15 feet. ...................
You can creatively fake dawn and dusk shots by severly underexposing backlit boats to create silhouette shots during any time of day. Play around with silhouettes from underexposure and backlighting if you have time.

Enjoy yourself but understand that a whole day or more on the water is not a relaxing time. You'll need your sea legs and plan for a stiff back the next day if you aren't used to bobbing and tipping for hours on end. It is far more physical to endure ocean time than most people realize!

So many great advices, thanks

Reread previous posts. You will be in the boat with the anglers...Bet you won't need much more than the 12-24 and the 100 Macro. Fish jumping shots out the back I'm thinking 70-200/2.8. ...........

Watch the horizon, though on sea trips, sometimes a crooked horizon is acceptable. I included a snapshot

..............

Also, note that bright clothing makes more publishable fish pictures. ...........!

I think k7 will be with tamton 70-200 f2.8 (also can use tamron converter 1.4 on it or not) since it will give me more zoom capability than the DA*300...

K200D will be with wide angle 10-17 or 12-24 and 100 macro when needed. (also be taking tamton 17-50 on the bag just in case)

First off Sword fishing is serious business , talk to the crew of the boat about how to stay out of the way and still get your shots!
................

That being said :
1) most of the jumping fish shots will be pictures of splashes so shoot a lot. You can keep the anglers line in sight and learn to anticipate a jump. The most (but not all) jumps happen early in the battle so you want to be able to reach out -Bring the 300mm. If you can get your hands on a high quality zoom that goes to 300 it would be even better but remember you are not going to have time to compose your shots.
2)Neither anglers or crew are going to allow you to be in their face while the action is on.You'll be sent to a corner or the bridge when a fish is hooked so my vote for an in boat lens is the Tamron 17-50 which will also work nicely when the fish is close to the boat .
3) The 12-24 might be nice to bring for in cabin or casual shot during to time when nothing is happening(most of the time).

Just remember it's not hard to get hurt in the cockpit so listen to the crew, you'll be on their boat and they are the boss!

.........

Thanks for all the great advices.

[netuser]

I forgot to tell you guys that I will be the only one shooting Pentax (k200d and k7)
and I'm feeling some of the pressure since I really want to do good. That's why I'm trying
to search/brainstorm as much as possible before.

I think I must try also something creative if I get the chance.