FISH PICS

ACTION SHOTS: Casting, playing, netting, releasing fish etc. Tip: prepare for these by setting the focal length, exposure, etc. on manual cameras and the proper pre-programed mode on automatics. With point and shoot cameras it's grab and go.

CLOSE UPSHOTS:a child's fingers putting a worm on a hook, a chose shot of a fly or a bird's nest. Most of these are taken from 36 inches away on down. With automatic cameras it's worth it do check your nearest possible distance or, where needed, the macro mode.

You might note that you don't have to have the sun behind the camera for every shot. Sometimes "backlighting" can improve results.

Tip: A quick and dirty trick here with pocket cameras is a piece of string tied to the camera's strap. The string needs to be one inch longer than the camera's minimum focal distance. Hold the camera in one hand. Stretch the string out to touch the subject with the other. Drop the string and fire away.

Okay, we've not discussed camera choices. While technology has replaced some technique in photography as elsewhere, you make the shots, the camera only takes them. So a mild bit of verbal abuse can improve results.

As a pro I own at least ten from 2 1/4 inch and larger formats through 35mm SLRs to cheap water resistant point and shoots. All of these cameras have the potential to take better photos than I do.

So rather than buy the most expensive camera on the market buy a less expensive camera and 20 to 40 rolls of film with processing. Take a class if you like. Otherwise make a "story board" go out and shoot near home and, when you get the film back take it to the site and see if what you got was what you wanted. If such isn't the case try to figure out why.

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