Scottish salmon - too quick for me - advice, please!

[altyfc]

I was lucky enough to witness salmon leaping up a waterfall in Scotland yesterday morning. Alas, the pictures aren't so great, and I would welcome advice on what I should have been doing, so that I can get it right next time. Faster shutter speed...? Tripod...?

This next one landed pretty much at my feet before falling back down. It wasn't that uncommon to see them hitting the rocks.

Here's two for the price of one.

And finally, to give you an idea of scale... this was the only other person present throughout the time we were there. He is a professional nature photographer.

 

[Big Mike]

A tripod wouldn't be necessary...but it certainly wouldn't hurt.

You would probably have wanted to use flash (it doesn't look very bright) and use as fast a shutter speed as your camera allows with flash.

Also, they are all under exposed, which is what will happen with a lot of bright white water in the image. You need to increase the exposure above what the meter is giving you....which doesn't help the shutter speed issue...so you may also need to crank up the ISO.

 

[LaFoto]

While Big Mike is right with regards to the exposure, I don't feel these are so much a failure. Maybe they are not en par with the results this nature photographer gets out of HIS photos in the end, but for something you sort of "happened upon" I find them quite good. Mostly so the second, and that of the other photographer at work (first of the two). You flashed, as shows in 3 and 4, but your flash did not reach, I would assume, and the light fell off fast.

My son will envy you for the experience!
And also for the photos you managed to take. Snapshots. Bloopers. Or not!

 

[Allsmiles7282]

Just seeing that picture with your camera that close to the water makes me nervous! Yowzas!!

Good luck. Fast shutters is all the advice I can offer.

I think it is cool what you are doing though!

 

[RKW3]

Take Big Mike's advice, you should try using a lower aperture number and a higher ISO level so you can use a faster shutter speed to capture these Salmon.

Looks like a great place to be though! That looks like fun.

 

[altyfc]

Thanks for all the generous feedback. I am actually using a Canon G5 at the moment (had it for a few years) but it's high time I stepped to a digital SLR and got to grips with all the features properly. It seems one of my biggest mistakes here was indeed just to take an automatic reading from the frothy white water. I'll put that down to experience and at least it gives me an excuse to visit again!

For those that are interested in the speed at which they leap, here's a very shot video that I shot on the camera:

http://www.aluxurytravelblog.com/2007/11/01/salmon-leaping-at-buchanty-spout-near-crieff-scotland

 

[nossie]

Next time the Salmon lands at your feet grab him, give him a sharp crack about the side of the head to knock him out, stab a stick up through him and set him in a nice pose. Now you can take your time over your shot.

Afterwards when you are done setting him in different poses all over the river and rocks you can eat him with some parsley sauce and white wine proving that they are a good source of both food and entertainment.

:badangel:

 

[altyfc]

Sounds delicious, but that might get me in a spot of bother since it was about to spawn.

 

[Mesoam]

need to get closer to subject, looks like he's using a remote,

 

[Flash Harry]

I've done this before too, you need to use flash to freeze the action as these leaps are usually overshadowed by cliffs/trees etc, I've tried many times with just changing camera settings but the best exposures have come from the flash. H

 

[Alpha]

This thread makes me hungry.

 

[jstuedle]

Yes, very hungry. And I just ate!

 

[Oblivious]

Giant flood lights, fast shutter speed, and a motion detector wired to the trigger! Or maybe just the fastest shutter speed at the lowest ISO you can get away with, and use the constant shooting feature.