Fly Fishing

What do you think? Too busy? Too much going on? Subject too small? I sort of like the "small size of the fisherman vs. the massive mountains."

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …it-PsEdit-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A

I like it.

Thing is, for fly fishing, the angler becomes one with the environment: one tills the soil/bank to establish what fly is appropriate, one wades into the environment and becomes patient, one reads the water and finds the points where the predators await. The fly angler should vanish into the environment. It's the allure. The solitude and insignificance is also party of the allure.

My only critique, would be to lower the exposure via a gradient, like a Grad ND effect on the top of the photo, and then maybe just give a kiss of dodge to the angler to make him stand out just a touch, and drop exposure a bit on the lower part of the comp where it's also brighter too, again, with a gradient perhaps.

Very best,

Thanks... Tried to do what you said... Any better?

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …/Fly%20BW-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A

Looks great to me. Much nicer to my eye, but that's just my opinion.

I would even experiment with potentially dodging the angler a touch more, just to make him a wee bit more exposed than the brighter sections of the sky and reflected sky, just to see if he pops just a bit, without becoming too obvious.

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #18072171
I would even experiment with potentially dodging the angler a touch more, just to make him a wee bit more exposed than the brighter sections of the sky and reflected sky, just to see if he pops just a bit, without becoming too obvious.

I agree. I think that the key to an image like this is to have good strong contrast between the angler and the area immediately surrounding him.

Bearing mind I know nothing of fly fishing what is the thing that looks to me like a bottle between his legs? - I find it a bit distracting.

Martin Dixon wrote in post #18072255
Bearing mind I know nothing of fly fishing what is the thing that looks to me like a bottle between his legs? - I find it a bit distracting.

Landing net. 100% required.

Very best,

Thanks - I see it now - still looks a bit odd

MalVeauX wrote in post #18072261
Landing net. 100% required.

Very best,

I only wish I had to use it a bit more that day !!

I like this version much better as well. The reflection in the water is not as strong/bright. Nice shot.

Why did you decide to convert this to black and white? I'd like to see the color version if you still have it available.

Here is a version

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …20Fish-23-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A

swbkrun wrote in post #18072771
Here is a version

Thanks, Steve. I think I'd have stayed with color.

As a pro fly fishing instructor I'd agree the fly fisherman should be lost in the scenery to an extent, he should be in the landscape not apart from it, but personally I'd go for a slight vignette and more boost in the contast to bring out the trees. The only thing I don't like is the rod tip being held above the water, it doesn't look relaxed, and technique wise if he's nymphing, which I'm assuming he's doing due to the apparant lack in surface eactivity, that's a classic error, I bet that costs him loads of fish

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #18072836
As a pro fly fishing instructor I'd agree the fly fisherman should be lost in the scenery to an extent, he should be in the landscape not apart from it, but personally I'd go for a slight vignette and more boost in the contast to bring out the trees. The only thing I don't like is the rod tip being held above the water, it doesn't look relaxed, and technique wise if he's nymphing, which I'm assuming he's doing due to the apparant lack in surface eactivity, that's a classic error, I bet that costs him loads of fish

Nymphing sounds like fun . . . whatever it is.