Reel Time: Capture the moment

The world of photography has evolved with amazing speed over the last two decades and anglers have never had an easier time recording memories made on the water. Whether you’re capturing a reminder of a trip or your catch to share with friends and family, to post on social media or just to keep for your records, the new generation of phones and digital cameras allows you to record those experiences.

Photography has never been easier and anglers can enjoy this amazing technology no matter what their level of expertise. Most digital cameras and most smart phones also come with software (or apps) that let you enhance the image, crop the size and share the final product in a number of ways. You can send the images by email, as a text (straight from a phone) or download them, edit and print them out to frame and display. Modern phone cameras have all the features of digital cameras and the advantage of always being close at hand.Even though taking a picture may be easy, there are a few basic rules that will help you capture a better image.

If you have photo editing software like Lightroom or Photoshop, you can lighten the shadows in post-production. Post-production can be done on software that comes with new cellphones. This can eliminate the need for fill flash (if the contrast isn't too great) and prevents a flash from creating unwanted reflections on fish. Since lighting is almost always challenging, shoot and then review important shots. If you have a more advanced camera, you can bracket important shots in difficult lighting situations. Expose at least three images: one slightly (one stop) underexposed, one slightly (one stop) overexposed and one at the setting suggested by the light meter.

There are a lot of excellent digital cameras on the market today. The new generation of smartphones can take amazing images and have clip-on accessories, including a polarizing lens.

If you’re really interested in photography, I would suggest getting a camera that meets your needs. Most come with a trial version of an image editing software like Adobe Elements. There are many cameras on the market from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, but for many anglers, their cellphones get the job done. Taking the time to capture the "moments of life" pays dividends that you can continue to relive by sharing them through your images.

For more information on the right camera for you, check with a professional at your local camera shop like Johnson Photo Imaging or shop online. Software demos (check out Lightroom or Photoshop) can be downloaded.