Digital Cameras and photographing fish

[rcl1]

No idea where to place this Q (wanted a hobbies section), so posting in a couple of places.

A friend of mine is a keen fisherman and likes to photograph his catches. Most of the time he tends to nightfish, so is having to use the flash.

Problem with this is that the fishes scales are reflecting the flash so the pics are coming out quite blurry. Any ideas how to prevent this? (he is using a digital camera)

TIA

[rcl1]

He said he has already tried using a piece of cigarette paper across the flash but it didnt help.

The problem seems to be the way the camera is picking up the refection. His explaination was 'it's like taking a photo of a mirror'. That is the type of result he keeps getting due to the reflection on the scales.

He is gutted as well cause he just forked out on a new digital camera. He didnt seem to have a problem with the old film camera pics, but is reluctant to go back to it feeling there must be an easy solution.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[rcl1]

Actually such a simple suggestion but it may just work. Will pass it on. Still open to other ideas if anyone has any.

[rcl1]

Great fish, but why has the bloke holding it got no pants or boxers on?????

Have passed on your ideas and he is gonna give them a go tonight (if he catches anything that is)

Will let you know if any of the ideas are successful (if you are still monitoring this post).

[ACtheTROLL]

basically it isn't going to happen with an all in one.

photographing a mirror is a good simile the lense and flash are a couple of cm apart pointing in exactly the same direction - no surprise that all the flash is coming straight back.

you could try a diffuser (a fag paper is ... well a fag paper - a diffuser has depth (3 or 4 layers of greaseproof paper should do it) - it doesn't lessen the power ... it scatters the light)

the only way to photograph a mirror is to light it from the side(s).

there is a technique called painting which uses a torch .... but you need to be able to keep the shutter open for a few seconds

A couple of very bright torches (the 1,000,000 candle jobs) with diffusers (to stop the reflectors creating bright spots - you'll have to experiment - cause of course a fish isn't flat ... so the angles will be different.

http://www.sublime-light.com/index.php/2007/07 /27/portrait-lighting-for-beginners-portraits- with-one-light/

http://www.stevesphotoshop.co.uk/

[ChuckFickens]

This has to be about the most surreal thread I've seen for ages!

yes defused lighting from the side is the only way to totally eliminate shine from the fish.

if the camera has a flash connector you could get a separate flash gun on a lead and use that held off at an angle

[rcl1]

Some quite fancy techniques mentioned here. Thanks for all the suggestions (although I think some are a bit more advanced than i was looking for). Seem to have found a suitable solution following some suggestions in the same post in animals & nature. He tried high iso and fastest shutter speed and i quote "helped a fair bit" which i think means the pics are now half decent.

Thanks again.

[rcl1]

Hi and goodbye le, that was a quick visit???