Fishing Photo Tips and Tricks | Creating Unique ‘Grip and Grins’

Scroll through the social media feed of any passionate kayak angler, and you’re guaranteed to see a ‘grip and grin’ photo. We all do it. After all, kayak anglers are the Kings and Queens of the selfie! Let’s up our game with some fishing photo tips and tricks.

What you may also notice on these feeds is that it’s not unusual to see subtle variations of the same pose. Many common poses include the cell phone pic with half the fish missing or the standard two-handed fish pose.

Bump board pics are an awesome way to show off that Big League fish or personal best. But if that’s the only pose used on your Facebook or Instagram page, it can get a bit ‘ho-hum’ for your audience. Don’t get me wrong, the main idea with ‘hero shots’ is to chronicle the great catch, and the fun you had while out on the water. However, when your ‘grip and grins’ start looking similar, an otherwise epic catch may not get the attention it deserves.

Stills from video

An easy way to get a variety of poses with the same fish is to record your catch using video. For example, when I catch a decent fish that may be of interest to others, I’ll switch my GoPro7 to video mode and start recording. Next, I’ll lift the fish out of the net, and hold it in several different positions before the release.

Holding the vertical as the first pose often shows water dripping from the fresh fish. Next, I’ll hold it front to back and side to side before releasing the fish back into the water. The whole process should not take longer than thirty seconds. There is not a single thing I worry about at that moment. I’m confident that as long as I got the fish on video, I’ll find a ‘still’ from that footage that will create a unique look when posting.
*The GoPro app makes creating a still photo from a video easy. https://gopro.com/en/ca/shop/softwareandapp

Change the angle

Another cool way of making your catch photo unique is to change the angle. This can easily be accomplished when you have a buddy in another kayak next to you. It becomes more of a challenge when you are fishing solo. I use a small floating platform that my GoPro attaches to, all the while in video recording mode.

As the fish chills in the net that is functioning as a live well, I launch the floating platform. Then I’ll lift the fish out of the water for a few poses. The fish goes back, I retrieve the platform /camera and anxiously await what I might find when taking a still from that footage. I usually decide ahead of time whether this particular fish gets the ‘straight-ahead’ or the ‘floating platform’ treatment. It’s either one of the other, not both.

Sun…what sun?

One thing I remember from a photography course I took years ago was that you should never shoot into the sun! Well, guess what? It happens! The last thing I think about is the position of the sun while I’m admiring my catch and posing for fish selfies. You may be pleasantly surprised when in fact the sun does show up in the background. This type of photograph can sometimes create a unique silhouette. Is it of magazine quality? No. Does it make the photo unique? YES!!

Crop pic!

An awesome catch deserves to be the focus of the photo. An easy way to accomplish this is to C-R-O-P! Cropping is the easiest way to filter out the noise of a bland sky, excessive water, and/or your crotch. Remember, your followers have a split second to see your photo when scrolling their feed. Give them what they want, an ‘in your face’ grip and grin whereby the focal point is your catch.

Make that pic ‘pop’!

Taking your ‘grip and grin’ photo to the next level of uniqueness is as simple as downloading an app. Used in moderation, the Prisma app can add some cool effects highlighting your catch even more. Remember when I said the sun behind you was of no worry? Well, that’s where this app shines! Check out the before and after versions of photographs taken with the sun facing the camera.

Final thoughts on Fishing Photos Tips and Tricks

Social media has made others aware of the fun, friendships and adventures associated with kayak fishing. Passionate kayak anglers are posting their catches in droves and collectively reaching hundreds of thousands of views each day. If you’re a fan of the ‘grip and grin’ and want to add a little splash to your photos, let that sun stay behind you.

Don’t wipe the drips of the camera lens. Hide your junk, crop your photo and take the time to highlight your catch using the tools available. Most importantly, keep putting the “GRIN” in ‘grip and grin’!

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