Taking pictures in the cold?

[HOGEYE]

How do people handle this? I always ruin good pictures because of the lens fogging. Sucks when the're nice fish.

[SpikeRoberts]

I'll add another question:

How do you photograph fish when you are alone?

[Jim W]

Keep your camera some where cool/cold. Of course if it is too cold or dangerously cold, causing damage to a lense etc., then I wouldn't do that.
I am no camera expert, but I have had my camera in very cold temps, below zero. The only trouble I had was the battery/motor not functioning properly.

Jim W

[WallEYES]

Get a disposable with a flash, they take just as good of pictures as your 3-4 hunnert dollar cameras. Just keep it in your pocket.

[Mykal]

Hogeye, Sounds like you have the camera in a nice warm shack and then jumping outside to take a picture? I agree with Jim unless you are taking the picture in the shack, try and keep the camera at the same temperature as your surroundings. It takes a while for a camera to "dry out" or defog when the temperaure suddenly changes from warm to cold or cold to warm.
SpikeRoberts, I wish I knew man. Unless you get one of those high end cameras with a delay on it, then a tripod, and set the camera a just the right angle and ....he!! just bring a buddy.

[Nels]

I'm with WallEYES- I haven't ahd any problems with the disposables (Usally Fuji or Kodak, even the Walmart brand). Sometimes it would be nice to have zoom though. I just keep it in my jacket pocket.

AS far as taking a picture when you are by yourself, I do have a few that just have my hand or foot it the picture.
If you want to get creative, you could just snap the fish, and then digitally edit yourself in there (with one head and 2 bodies...)

[This message has been edited by Nels (edited 02-10-2003).]

[Steve Foss]

I have a measuring tape/sticker taped to one of the removable poles on my Trap II. I haven't had this happen yet, but a pic of a big fish if I was alone would involve me laying the fish on the ice alongside the pole so you'd know how long it was. You could do the same with a rod or a gaff to give a length perspective.

[Guest]

I'm with WallEYES, I just carry around a disposable camera. I've been using this method for several years with no complaints. Good pictures and easy to transport without worries of breaking it (execpt for the fact that the HUGE fish on the film won't get developed, ).

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[Guest]

the problem I have is I usually need a wide angle or panoramic lense to get the whole fish in the picture.
stever

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" the water's cold...deep too"

[Guest]

I'm sure many others have the same problem as well... right guys
stever

------------------
" the water's cold...deep too"

[Guest]

Stever-ino, I just have the person who is taking the picture stand 10 yards away, that way the whole fish can get in the picture.

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[Deitz Dittrich]

LMAO @ MJ5.. whatever dude!

[HOGEYE]

Just take three pictures, than line them up to get the whole thing. He He!

[Guest]

Exudedude, you should remember, you were the one who took the picture.

Can't wait to see our pics of crappies and gills! Hope to see you on sunday!

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[ackotz]

I bought a little tri-pod (and I mean little, as in 4 inch legs that fold in and out) that fits almost any 35mm camera (regardless of price, except disposables). It also fits my new digital camera too.
If you turn your camera over you'll see a female receiver on the bottom. That's for the tri-pod accessory. These can be bought at any department store (like Kmart, Walmart or Target, etc.) for about $10. You can then use your timer feature (if you have one) to take self-portraits...

[This message has been edited by ackotz (edited 02-10-2003).]

[Guest]

The suggestions about keeping the camera at the same temp/humidity as where you will be taking the photo are good advice. Anytime the lens gets colder than the dewpoint you'll have condensation. Bringing the camera in and out of your warm shack is a recipe for a fogged/frozen lens.

Beyond this, I have another suggestion: Keep the camera battery in your pocket. Batteries do not function well when they are cold. Your $400 digicam will be all but worthless with 1/2 charged cold battery.

For getting the solo shots I usually throw the camera on the fishing bucket and snap the shot using the timer.

Good luck everyone!!

[vern]

I just tried a new set-up to get pictures when I'm alone in my FishTrap. I have a small automatic 35mm camera with a self-timer. I put the camera in a small zip-lock bag & cut a hole where the lens is & another small hole for the flash. Then I poked a piece of wire through the center of the bag and hung it from the bar in front of me in my FishTrap Pro. I put the timer and flash modes on & when I caught a fish I just reached over & hit the button, held up the fish & waited for the shot. It took a few shots to figure out the best distance & height, but most of the shots turned out good. Unfortunately, the first shot was of my biggest walleye this winter & was a little too close & distorted. Now I just slide the seat back a few inches & the pictures look pretty good. Like Ackotz, I also have a small tripod that works well in my boat. It would be a bummer to get that fish of a lifetime & not have a photo. You can buy a nice automatic 35mm or Advantix camera with a timer for under $50 these days. Vern

[vern]

Hey Nitz, good advice on the batteries. I've had trouble in the past with my 35mm & video camera batteries during cold weather. You have to keep them warm. I've also taken photos from the minnow bucket, snowbank, tree stumps, rocks, etc. All you need is a camera with a timer. Vern

[This message has been edited by vern (edited 02-10-2003).]

[SpikeRoberts]

That's the kind of innovative thinking I was looking for vern. Good ideas. I'll have to play around.

[Uncle Grump]

I've had very good sucess w/ my semi-good 35mm and a inexpensive digital. My 35m has a timer, remote, and telephoto lens (auto focus) and I'll be danged if I can think of the brand right now. IF I'm alone, I shoot the fish at arms length.

I to carry it in a case, hung from my belt, and that is usually under my coat, so it does stay warm. Fogging isn't a problem if
the camera is exposed to the cold for a short time - its long term exposure - where it gets cold, and then is brought in to the warm which causes trouble.

My digital is nothing fancy - a Logitech QuickCam. If it had a flash I'd use it exclusively. With it, batterys get chewed up a bit faster, but it does take good pics - as long as I remember to keep the focus ring in the right spot. It to travels cased on my belt.

The biggest issue I have w/ the tripod & remote idea is the amount of time it takes to set things up, while at the same time needing to minimize the amount of time the fish is out of the water.

I've also used the Fuji and Kodak disposable 35's - they take great pics for the price.

UG

[ackotz]

Sorry about the photo (being so large!)...I don't know how to adjust the JPEG size with this new PC and new software...oh well, I'll figure it out, I hope.

[Guest]

Nitz hit on what I most often do, I allow the camera a minute to adjust to the temp. I also keep a set of battery's in my pocket, nice and warm, just in case. I have switched over to rechargeable batteries a couple years back so I have gotten into the habit of keeping spares all ready to go.

The tri-pod is a great plan. I have a smaller one they will also clamp on a window glass if need be, it was made by Redfield.

Another very good option is a RAM mount made for cameras, GPS, and cell phones. You can place a base on your Vexilar and one on your boat so those hands free shots are easy to manage.

Taking a piggy shot when your alone and your not rigged with a timer leaves you with few options. I have taken a fair share of shots using Colman Thermos's or nets as a gage to illustrate the size of the fish. They seldom do justice to the fish, they never appear as good as if someone is holding them, at least to me anyway. To get that true prospective it truly takes something of a known size to help illustrate the dimensions of the fish.

Since we are on the topic of fishy pictures. One of my pet peeves is the every popular "BASS Angler of the Year Long Arm Shot". Man that drives me completely nuts!

If you want to make a truly nice fish look suspect, or just just plain BOGUS. Just see how far you can stick that bugger out in front of you, without dislocating a shoulder. Immediately when folks see it, they think,..."Hummm...BOGUS?".

We all have done it at least once, but it really does nothing for the fish, or the quality of the photo.

My rule is keep them elbows, or elbow, tucked tight to your side. This allows for a good focus and looks FAR more natural. Let the fish speak for its self.

Ed "Long Arms" Carlson

[ackotz]

AMEN! Ed "short-arms" Carlson! I agree with you...I hate people who hold their fish out at arms length, as if that makes the fish bigger! It's embarrassing is what that is. I think it's an inferiority complex they're trying to overcome...

[SuddenlySummer]

This comes from an ex-Winter Park Ski patrol.

Put a bit of car wax on the lense. Let dry then wipe off.

It won't fog.

[cvikes80]

ackotz, the easiest way to change the size of a picture is by opening it in the windows "paint" program. assuming you are able to figure that out, what you do once the pic is open in "paint" is click on file at the top left, select "save as" and then you will see 2 pull down tabs at the bottom. the top one is for naming the file you are about to save and the bottom one is for what format you want it to be. bitmaps are generally bigger then jpeg. so by changing a bitmap to jpeg you will shink it up .if your looking to make smaller jpegs you are better off doing that on the camera itself. the book the camera came with will tell you the diferent sizes and how to change the settings.