My camera is a canon 700d and for the vast majority of trophy shots I shoot in ‘auto mode' . Most of these shots in recent times have been at night and I've been perfectly happy with the results . I've limited knowledge but have had a play about and wondered what mode you guys used to get those great shots that I like with the fish darkened up slightly , thanks .
In reply to Post #1
i've shot in manual mode for donkeys. .greater flexibility on setting up the camera for your catch shots.
best way to learn is just to play about changing settings and seeing what they do. practise with something static that you can take photos of over and over again.
i've shot in manual mode for donkeys. .greater flexibility on setting up the camera for your catch shots.
best way to learn is just to play about changing settings and seeing what they do. practise with something static that you can take photos of over and over again.
In reply to Post #1
I'm no expert but I've always shot in Aperture priority I believe it is. A - setting on the dial of a Nikon.
ISO: 100 for bright days, upto 600 for night shots. Anywhere in between for dull days etc.
Aperture: F2 to F3.2ish to get a blurred background and a nicely focused fish.
Shutter speed: 250 but if bright bump up, if dark then can reduce.
I manually focus the fixed lense using a bucket before hand taking a couple stills to confirm above settings.
I get good pictures, but I have seen better, using lightroom on my iPhone I can get them looking bang on using the auto adjustment.
I use a memory card reader with iPhone connector (£9 off Amazon) and edit photos at my leisure under the brolly whilst on the bank on my IPhone. Don't even need a computer these days.
I'm no expert but I've always shot in Aperture priority I believe it is. A - setting on the dial of a Nikon.
ISO: 100 for bright days, upto 600 for night shots. Anywhere in between for dull days etc.
Aperture: F2 to F3.2ish to get a blurred background and a nicely focused fish.
Shutter speed: 250 but if bright bump up, if dark then can reduce.
I manually focus the fixed lense using a bucket before hand taking a couple stills to confirm above settings.
I get good pictures, but I have seen better, using lightroom on my iPhone I can get them looking bang on using the auto adjustment.
I use a memory card reader with iPhone connector (£9 off Amazon) and edit photos at my leisure under the brolly whilst on the bank on my IPhone. Don't even need a computer these days.
I'm not a Nikon user (Fuji) but if you're setting iso, aperture and shutter speed yourself, youre in manual.
In aperture priority you'd be letting the camera figure out the other 2 (or at least one of them)
In aperture priority you'd be letting the camera figure out the other 2 (or at least one of them)
In reply to Post #4
Thanks for the replies . I'll have a play about and take it from there 👍
Thanks for the replies . I'll have a play about and take it from there 👍
I haven't had to use my camera at night for ages, but I remember setting it up at Aperture f11 or f16 – for depth of field. 1/160s shutter speed for flash. Any faster and shutter actually went faster than flash.
I also try to avoid 'open' background.
I also try to avoid 'open' background.
In reply to Post #1
The darkened fish look is in the lighting and editing.
There are so many variables my best advice would be to practice in the garden and see what the settings do. Tap 'the exposure triangle' into Google for idiots guides to what the three settings control.
For night shots With your camera and a lens at 50mm I'd start at f4 or f5.6 depending on distance and shutter speed at 1/60. Iso would depend on your quality threshold and how much of the background is lit by the flash.
Play with the iso setting and notice how the quality gets worse the higher you go, then work out the highest setting you find acceptable. This would be my iso setting if the background is open. If I had a dense, fairly flat background I'd be at the lowest iso the lighting can keep up with, shutter at the highest setting available with flash (usually 1/160 1/250 or 1/320)
The darkened fish look is in the lighting and editing.
There are so many variables my best advice would be to practice in the garden and see what the settings do. Tap 'the exposure triangle' into Google for idiots guides to what the three settings control.
For night shots With your camera and a lens at 50mm I'd start at f4 or f5.6 depending on distance and shutter speed at 1/60. Iso would depend on your quality threshold and how much of the background is lit by the flash.
Play with the iso setting and notice how the quality gets worse the higher you go, then work out the highest setting you find acceptable. This would be my iso setting if the background is open. If I had a dense, fairly flat background I'd be at the lowest iso the lighting can keep up with, shutter at the highest setting available with flash (usually 1/160 1/250 or 1/320)
In reply to Post #7
Thanks for the replies . Hadn't really thought about editing ! Can anyone recommend a decent editing app that would be suitable , thanks .
Thanks for the replies . Hadn't really thought about editing ! Can anyone recommend a decent editing app that would be suitable , thanks .
In reply to Post #8
Lightroom mate, it's the bees knees
Lightroom mate, it's the bees knees
In reply to Post #8
you might as well spend the time learning the ins and outs of your camera to get the best from it for your catch pics. you can also play with white balance settings to warm up or cool down the photos, this can also have a mild effect not he colouration of fish.
not to sound old and miserable, but why anyone would need to edit catch shots is beyond me. it's all doable in camera IMO.
you might as well spend the time learning the ins and outs of your camera to get the best from it for your catch pics. you can also play with white balance settings to warm up or cool down the photos, this can also have a mild effect not he colouration of fish.
not to sound old and miserable, but why anyone would need to edit catch shots is beyond me. it's all doable in camera IMO.
In reply to Post #10
Been snooping around this thread. Totally agree with your last point, I've not edited a single picture other than exposure/brightness for years. The flexibility with the shutter speed, ISO and exposure available with most cameras these days makes it so much easier.
Been snooping around this thread. Totally agree with your last point, I've not edited a single picture other than exposure/brightness for years. The flexibility with the shutter speed, ISO and exposure available with most cameras these days makes it so much easier.
In reply to Post #11
Lightroom is very good, I'm not talking about completely editing it within an inch of its life but its good for tidying the picture up
Lightroom is very good, I'm not talking about completely editing it within an inch of its life but its good for tidying the picture up
Lightroom is OK, but £120 a year dampens the appeal. Plenty of free offerings available.
In reply to Post #12
I find most proper cameras give a pretty 'flat' image
30 secs in lightroom makes a big difference imo
I find most proper cameras give a pretty 'flat' image
30 secs in lightroom makes a big difference imo
In reply to Post #14
If shooting Raw, absolutely, some sort of editing is beneficial. I do wildlife and landscape stuff too, but don't want to partake in Adobe's subscription format. I use Affinity and it does all I need.
If shooting Raw, absolutely, some sort of editing is beneficial. I do wildlife and landscape stuff too, but don't want to partake in Adobe's subscription format. I use Affinity and it does all I need.
In reply to Post #1
I found the best way to progress from alway using 'auto' is to move on to 'AV' mode (or aperture priority). This way you get your head round the two most useful 'Carpy' settings, the F-stop (for the bokeh effect) and exposure (reducing it makes the fish look darker), the rest is still automatic. Once you get the hang of that you can move on if you feel you need to.
I found the best way to progress from alway using 'auto' is to move on to 'AV' mode (or aperture priority). This way you get your head round the two most useful 'Carpy' settings, the F-stop (for the bokeh effect) and exposure (reducing it makes the fish look darker), the rest is still automatic. Once you get the hang of that you can move on if you feel you need to.
In reply to Post #16
I agree with that, the 'exposure compensation' (I guess that's what you meant by exposure setting) is good for that. If you got into shooting raw and editing yourself its even more useful as you can use it to protect the highlights so you don't get the pure white areas, or protect the shadows so you can lift the darkest areas without loads of noise.
Even in these semi auto modes you can take control and even in manual you can leave a lot to the camera
I agree with that, the 'exposure compensation' (I guess that's what you meant by exposure setting) is good for that. If you got into shooting raw and editing yourself its even more useful as you can use it to protect the highlights so you don't get the pure white areas, or protect the shadows so you can lift the darkest areas without loads of noise.
Even in these semi auto modes you can take control and even in manual you can leave a lot to the camera
In reply to Post #17
Yes ‘exposure compensation', that's the fella 👍
Yes ‘exposure compensation', that's the fella 👍
In reply to Post #18
Why bring in exposure comp when folk still can't get to grips with manual 😂. Most cameras nowadays have decent sensors which enable you to handle darker situations much better than a few years back, especially with invariance, but thats another level a d subject for another day. as for editing, lightroom is the best if using RAW images but for phone snaps look at Snapseed. Loads of free RAW editing programs here,
https://petapixel.com/best-free-raw-editing-programs/
There's so many YouTube tutorials on photography it's just not worth my rambling on about the exposure triangle. Just do a search.
Why bring in exposure comp when folk still can't get to grips with manual 😂. Most cameras nowadays have decent sensors which enable you to handle darker situations much better than a few years back, especially with invariance, but thats another level a d subject for another day. as for editing, lightroom is the best if using RAW images but for phone snaps look at Snapseed. Loads of free RAW editing programs here,
https://petapixel.com/best-free-raw-editing-programs/
There's so many YouTube tutorials on photography it's just not worth my rambling on about the exposure triangle. Just do a search.
I've been a pro wildlife and landscape tog for over thirty years doing wedding photography for the last twenty years. Rambling on about exposure isn't going to help anyone. Just stick your camera in manual and go make mistakes. Watch YouTube and you will get to grips with it.
My camera is years old, but the most valuable tool on it is the "Exposure Compensation" setting. Usually I have it set to a "minus" setting permanently this usually stops the lower whiter parts of a fish being overexposed and losing its scale pattern.
Also, and probably most camera's these days do it, it will take 3 pictures one after the other automatically. Based on what I have the camera set at for "Exposure Compensation" it will take one at that setting and one plus of that setting and one minus of that setting, so I get a normal exposure and one each of overexposed and underexposed. Amongst those three is usually a good one.
But it is trial and error to find the setting you can leave the camera set too to get the perfect shot first time rather than mess about with trial shots, ie see its over or under exposed, so adjust the setting, then another shot, check the picture again and so on till you get it right.
Even on a night the method works unless you are a far too close to the "Flash" and that can overexpose everything and leave the fish glowing yellowy white and scale less whilst yourself looks as if you wash your face and hands in "DAZ"
Also, and probably most camera's these days do it, it will take 3 pictures one after the other automatically. Based on what I have the camera set at for "Exposure Compensation" it will take one at that setting and one plus of that setting and one minus of that setting, so I get a normal exposure and one each of overexposed and underexposed. Amongst those three is usually a good one.
But it is trial and error to find the setting you can leave the camera set too to get the perfect shot first time rather than mess about with trial shots, ie see its over or under exposed, so adjust the setting, then another shot, check the picture again and so on till you get it right.
Even on a night the method works unless you are a far too close to the "Flash" and that can overexpose everything and leave the fish glowing yellowy white and scale less whilst yourself looks as if you wash your face and hands in "DAZ"
In reply to Post #19
But if you read the OP he is asking how to get the fish to look darker for that 'carpy' shot.
Obviously when your photography skills are pro level then adjust everything to your hearts content but, when you are moving out of 'auto' mode for the first time then AV mode and Exp Comp is the easiest way to get good results. In Manual mode you have to get everything right, not so easy when on your own doing self-takes and your new PB is in the sack!!
I use a Canon in AV mode with an Intervalometer app that I set to take shots at different exp levels 0, -1/3, -2/3, next one back to 0 and so on in a loop, then choose the best ones. Invariably the shots that are on a minus setting come out with the fish looking better.
This doesn't apply for night shots.
But if you read the OP he is asking how to get the fish to look darker for that 'carpy' shot.
Obviously when your photography skills are pro level then adjust everything to your hearts content but, when you are moving out of 'auto' mode for the first time then AV mode and Exp Comp is the easiest way to get good results. In Manual mode you have to get everything right, not so easy when on your own doing self-takes and your new PB is in the sack!!
I use a Canon in AV mode with an Intervalometer app that I set to take shots at different exp levels 0, -1/3, -2/3, next one back to 0 and so on in a loop, then choose the best ones. Invariably the shots that are on a minus setting come out with the fish looking better.
This doesn't apply for night shots.
In reply to Post #22
"But if you read the OP he is asking how to get the fish to look darker for that 'carpy' shot."
Exposure compensation adjusts light levels just like adjusting ISO, shutter speed and aperture. eg, want it darker shoot it with a lower ISO or higher shutter speed or wider aperture. Many cameras allow you to shoot manual using auto ISO. If you know where your ceiling is, where noise starts to creep in, then setting your ISO cap and running auto ISO in manual gives you one less thing to concern yourself with. Just decide on what you want in focus, adjust your aperture and then adjust your shutter speed to taste, simple... you're now on your way to becoming a manual shooter.
"But if you read the OP he is asking how to get the fish to look darker for that 'carpy' shot."
Exposure compensation adjusts light levels just like adjusting ISO, shutter speed and aperture. eg, want it darker shoot it with a lower ISO or higher shutter speed or wider aperture. Many cameras allow you to shoot manual using auto ISO. If you know where your ceiling is, where noise starts to creep in, then setting your ISO cap and running auto ISO in manual gives you one less thing to concern yourself with. Just decide on what you want in focus, adjust your aperture and then adjust your shutter speed to taste, simple... you're now on your way to becoming a manual shooter.
In reply to Post #22
In truth there are no settings to make the 'fish' look darker, you're making everything look darker. To darken the fish alone, it's editing after the event.
In truth there are no settings to make the 'fish' look darker, you're making everything look darker. To darken the fish alone, it's editing after the event.
In reply to Post #24
Very true.
I find the underexposed look overdone tbh
Very true.
I find the underexposed look overdone tbh
In reply to Post #25
The only way to highlight something such as just the fish is through selection and local adjustments in an image editing software program such as Lightroom. Altering and camera settings is altering the image globally i.e. all of it.
The only way to highlight something such as just the fish is through selection and local adjustments in an image editing software program such as Lightroom. Altering and camera settings is altering the image globally i.e. all of it.
In reply to Post #26
Some really good advice there , thanks . As a complete novice it all seems a little daunting . I will start off playing about in av mode trying to build up an understanding . At the end of the day we do tend to have a fair bit of ‘down time' when fishing so this would be an ideal time to play around , thanks .
Some really good advice there , thanks . As a complete novice it all seems a little daunting . I will start off playing about in av mode trying to build up an understanding . At the end of the day we do tend to have a fair bit of ‘down time' when fishing so this would be an ideal time to play around , thanks .
In reply to Post #27
Good luck an enjoy.
BTW I totally agree with other posters on here that you can't highlight the fish and make it darker merely by using the exp comp, but that isn't what I was saying anyway and yes, the under exp thing was done to death a few years ago but that went a bit extreme in some cases. But...as I said, you will find that by using AV mode setting the f stop to get the bokeh effect and reducing the exp comp ever so slightly (try just one notch) you will be on the way to getting that 'carpy shot' you originally asked about, it's as simple as that.
Good luck an enjoy.
BTW I totally agree with other posters on here that you can't highlight the fish and make it darker merely by using the exp comp, but that isn't what I was saying anyway and yes, the under exp thing was done to death a few years ago but that went a bit extreme in some cases. But...as I said, you will find that by using AV mode setting the f stop to get the bokeh effect and reducing the exp comp ever so slightly (try just one notch) you will be on the way to getting that 'carpy shot' you originally asked about, it's as simple as that.
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