From Kittery to Allagash a wide variety of year-round outdoor activities abound for sportsmen to enjoy. Each specific pastime requires certain essential gear or equipment to ensure success: campers need a sturdy, comfortable tent, anglers need a rod and bait; hunters a gun or bow, canoers a stable boat and paddles, hikers depend on good boots and a roomy, well-fitted knapsack. Snowmobilers have to have a well-tuned sled and warm clothes, cross country travelers need properly fitted snowshoes or skis and without an auger and scoop, ice fishermen might as well build a snowman.

What all of these recreational outings have in common is the frequent omission of an essential piece of equipment. Only a few outdoorsmen carry a camera along for each outing, and sadly some of the most memorable moments with family and friends aren’t captured on film for posterity. Rare opportunities to photograph wildlife in natural habitat are lost, and when a trophy fish or big game animal is taken, the chance to savor the success on film in years to come is missed.

Why bother?

Unfortunately many sportsmen overlook cameras in the process of selecting and packing the more essential gear for each outing. The camera becomes an afterthought, left behind at the house, when a truly unique circumstance warrants a picture. How many times on a trip have the words, “Oh, I wish we had a camera with us!” been uttered? And still the cameras are overlooked. In some cases they are just plain ignored, because they’re considered too much trouble to lug around, and require special care in packing, carrying and handling during a trip.

In others instances, the camera makes the trip, but is never at hand when needed. Rather than carry the extra weight in a pocket or have an object dangling and bouncing around their neck all day, the camera stays in the car, tent, boat or camp. New sizes and styles of cameras, as well as comfortable carrying cases and harnesses eliminate any excuses not to have a camera loaded, ready to shoot and at your fingertips for every outdoor excursion.

More and more anglers are choosing to catch and release fish, but when a real trophy is netted it’s great to be able to snap a photo before putting the fish back into the water. On some waterways and in many camps, all big fish must be released, and sometimes the release of certain species, such as tarpon, is mandated by law. The purpose is to maintain great fishing for future generations, but what if your fish is a once-in-a-lifetime catch? That’s where a camera comes in. With several close up pictures at various angles and two or three measurements, a good taxidermist can recreate your trophy for the den wall. I have a 150-pound tarpon that I caught on a 9-foot fly rod in a photograph on my wall, and the fish is still swimming as far as I know.

A son’s first whitetail or a daughter’s big bass, taken when they were young and just learning to be sportsmen, can be treasured for a lifetime if a camera is at hand. Outings to exotic and remote locations that may not be accessible in 20 years, or a memorable trip to Africa or Alaska can be frozen in time with a camera. You can hunt without shooting and still bring home proof of a trophy. Wild animals in their natural habitat can be captured without harm or danger and displayed for others to see. A good camera is often the smallest piece of equipment on a trip, but can often be the most important item for chronicling the events.

Selecting a camera

Purchasing a camera is becoming more and more like buying a car. Every size, shape, color and make imaginable is available, and the number of knobs, buttons, switches, bells, whistles and buzzers on various models is mind boggling. Selecting just the right camera is very much a matter of personal preference, but I admonish you, unless you’re planning to become a professional photographer, stick to the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Entire books have been written about picking out the best camera for an individual’s special needs, so needless to say we aren’t able to properly cover the subject in one article. A few specifics and several generalities may help outdoorsmen narrow the field somewhat when picking the best camera for their personal needs. The more features a camera has, the more confusing its operation is, the more things can go wrong, and the more directions there are to remember, or forget, in my experience. Be sure your choice has a full auto mode, which allows the camera’s computer to make all the difficult decisions and selections regarding film speed, flash, exposure, backlighting, proper framing and more. For spur of the moment shots of outdoor activity and nervous game animals, auto mode is a blessing.

A good all-around camera with multiple features doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive unit in stock. Think compact, convenient, clarity and above all durability. If it’s simple to operate, fits easily into a pocket and has quality glass in the lens, you’ll always take it along, and that’s the premier step to taking good pictures. Models with interchangeable lenses allow the photographers to get close-ups at camp, then change to a telephoto lens and capture great pictures of animals far off in the field. One camera and two or three lenses can do it all, but the downside includes, bulkiness and price. Some compact 35 mms have integral zoom lenses that overcome size and price stumbling blocks, and dispense with extra lenses.

For anyone with a computer and quality printer, digital cameras are a perfect choice. A sport can take all the photos he wants during a trip and they are stored on the camera’s memory chip. Upon returning home the camera is connected to the computer and each of the photos can be reviewed large as life on the monitor. You can keep the best and delete the rest, and the images may be stored on a CD, e-mailed to friends, or printed into any size for a top quality photo desired at your leisure.

Dozens of specialty cameras are available to sportsmen as well, but the one model that really makes sense is a waterproof model. With one of these beauties, an outdoorsman needn’t worry about rain, sleet or snow affecting the electronics or film since an “O” ring seals the entire inner compartment. I own a model that can be used up to 35 feet under water, and is great for photos of fish in their natural environment. There’s even a submersible throw-away model good down to 17 feet that sells for about $14. Other single use 35mm cameras can be found for as little as $6, and a wide a variety of models with various features are available in supermarkets, pharmacies departments, convenience and sporting goods stores.

The perfect picture

Outdoor photos are often referred to as hero shots, since they often include a happy sportsman with a trophy of some sort. Often the pictures are terrible because no thought was given to proper lighting, composition, proportions and clarity.

Six very simple guidelines for amateur outdoor photographers will help produce outstanding trophy shot results. The most prominent problem with many game photos is standing too far away from the main subject. Snapping a hero picture with yards of empty space in the foreground only serves to make the fish or game animal look smaller and the sportsman difficult to recognize. The solution to this problem isn’t a longer lens, it’s simply a matter of moving closer to the subject. When you feel you’re close enough, take another step or two closer and fill out the frame for great detail and better trophy shots.

If it’s a bright, sunny day when the photo is being taken, be sure to utilize the sun to enhance the photo quality. Ignoring the position of the sun leads to poor shading of the subject and shadows created by the subject and photographer showing up in the picture. Try to keep the sun at your back when taking photos and directly on the subject’s face. This may cause the subject to complain and squint a bit, but that can be overcome by having them close their eyes until the instant you snap the photo. Kneeling down will help eliminate your shadow from the shot as well as offering a different prospective. Sunglasses and hat brims covering the eyes aren’t conducive to good photos, so have the subject lose the accessories, or at least tip the cap up a bit.

In certain kinds of light, such as in the woods when rays of sunshine are filtering through the trees giving an irregular light and shadow combination, be sure to use fill-in flash to even things out. Fill-in flash is also a photo saver at dusk and dawn when surroundings are pretty gray, and don’t be afraid to use a couple of large flashlights or vehicle headlights to illuminate the subject and aid the camera flash. High speed film, at least ISO 400, and a fast lens will also help when surroundings are gloomy.

One of the most overlooked faults with hero shots, and yet the most prominent once the picture is developed, is the presence of blood. It’s a fact of life that blood will be a part of fishing and hunting, but once the game is dressed out, take the time to remove any sign of blood from the animal and sportsman. Any sign of blood detracts from the dignity of all of the subjects in the picture.

If the trophy is a fish, dip it in water and wipe it clean, a wet fish always provides a more realistic photo. If it’s a catch-and-release picture, keep the fish submerged until the photographer is fully prepared, then on cue, use both hands to lift, steady and pose, snap two or three shots, and put the fish back in the water immediately. For big- game animals and birds, solve the problem by taking pictures before cleaning, and wiping any blood from around bullet holes and especially around the nose and mouth. A few extra moments of preparation leads to a photo you’ll be proud to display.

Rest and composure

Picturesque landscapes, free roaming wild animals and action photos of people along on an outing comprise far more photos than do hero shots. The number one edict for such photos is steadiness leads to clarity. Even point and shoot cameras and fast film won’t eliminate the result of a shaky hand or undo body motion during the shot. A rifleman does his best work when steady, so take a page from his book and find a rest. Use a tripod if one is available, but a tree limb, canoe paddle, car door or walking stick will serve the same purpose. If you plan to enlarge a photo, clarity is essential and it all starts with using a steady rest before pushing the button.

Most modern cameras come with a certain focal point. This highlighted spot in the viewfinder is where the camera’s computer brain gathers perfect picture information. When the main subject isn’t going to be in the center of a shot, be sure to focus on the subject first, press the shutter halfway and hold it to lock in the proper image information. Then move the camera to reframe the photo with the main subject to either side and press the shutter fully. The result will be a better variety of scenes without someone or something directly in the center every time.

For fish photos, change the composition by having the fish held horizontally, or off to one side so some daylight shows around the fish to emphasize its color, length and girth. For deer and bear, have the hunter kneel behind the shoulder and use one hand to hold the head up. This will accentuate the head of a bruin and the antlers of a whitetail and better show its size in relationship to the hunter. Use a bit of imagination and any nearby unique props, such as fences, rocks, flowers or stumps to create a photo that truly attracts attention when displayed.

Point and shoot is a type of camera, not a good method of taking a picture that depicts a proud moment, special outdoor occasion or remarkable scene. Photos and memories are meant to last a lifetime, so make sure the one that will hang on your wall is as vibrant and vivid as the one in your head. For you next adventure, whether it’s a week trip or a day- long outing, take a camera, take some time, and take a picture.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached at graves@polarisumpi.maine.edu